Businesses and clinics were forced to close yesterday – and hundreds of pupils had to abandon classes – as angry villagers locked down the main routes linking Mqanduli to Coffee Bay and Zithulele Hospital.
The protesters from Ngcwanguba, located between Mqanduli and Coffee Bay, were demanding answers from King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipal bosses on a number of service delivery issues.
These included electricity, water and houses that they claim had been promised but not received.
Motorists and delivery vans had no choice but to turn back after being told by protest leaders their vehicles could be damaged by protesters.
Xolile Makwana, who had driven more than 500km to deliver cement culverts for a government road construction project, said: “I have been here since 8am but I can’t get through because the road to Coffee Bay is closed.”
Another motorist, Phumzile Khumalo, who was delivering cement bags to a client, was also forced to turn back to Mthatha after he was allegedly threatened by the protesting villagers.
Nurses were seen sitting on chairs on the verandah of a clinic in Ngcwanguba. Security guards at the gate told the Daily Dispatch that the clinic was closed due to the protest.
Boniswa Boqwana, a teacher in Upper Mpako Junior Secondary School said they had to quickly close the school after they were accosted by some of the protesters.
Even taxi drivers complained that they were losing business.
Protest leader Mzwandile Jolwana said they would continue with the protest every day until they received “satisfactory” answers from KSD.
He said among their demands, they wanted to know why their villages had been overlooked in an on-going electrification project.
They were also unhappy with a water project that abruptly came to a halt after water pipes were laid on the ground in 2013.
Third, a clinic that was promised in Ntshitshana village still remained unbuilt.
KSD municipal spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said the mayor, Nonkoliso Ngqongwa, had later gone to address the protesters.
However, the Dispatch was unable to ascertain the outcome at the time of writing.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape government spokesman Sizwe Kupelo pleaded with rural communities to be patient, saying premier Phumulo Masualle had budgeted millions of rands for electricity. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Village protesters block major route
The protesters from Ngcwanguba, located between Mqanduli and Coffee Bay, were demanding answers from King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipal bosses on a number of service delivery issues.
These included electricity, water and houses that they claim had been promised but not received.
Motorists and delivery vans had no choice but to turn back after being told by protest leaders their vehicles could be damaged by protesters.
Xolile Makwana, who had driven more than 500km to deliver cement culverts for a government road construction project, said: “I have been here since 8am but I can’t get through because the road to Coffee Bay is closed.”
Another motorist, Phumzile Khumalo, who was delivering cement bags to a client, was also forced to turn back to Mthatha after he was allegedly threatened by the protesting villagers.
Nurses were seen sitting on chairs on the verandah of a clinic in Ngcwanguba. Security guards at the gate told the Daily Dispatch that the clinic was closed due to the protest.
Boniswa Boqwana, a teacher in Upper Mpako Junior Secondary School said they had to quickly close the school after they were accosted by some of the protesters.
Even taxi drivers complained that they were losing business.
Protest leader Mzwandile Jolwana said they would continue with the protest every day until they received “satisfactory” answers from KSD.
He said among their demands, they wanted to know why their villages had been overlooked in an on-going electrification project.
They were also unhappy with a water project that abruptly came to a halt after water pipes were laid on the ground in 2013.
Third, a clinic that was promised in Ntshitshana village still remained unbuilt.
KSD municipal spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said the mayor, Nonkoliso Ngqongwa, had later gone to address the protesters.
However, the Dispatch was unable to ascertain the outcome at the time of writing.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape government spokesman Sizwe Kupelo pleaded with rural communities to be patient, saying premier Phumulo Masualle had budgeted millions of rands for electricity. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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