The main access road to Chintsa has been blockaded with tree branches, rocks and destroyed road signs as residents from a nearby location embarked on a service delivery protest.
The protest, which is currently underway in Chintsa East, started at 9pm last night. Residents are demanding that their municipality, Great Kei, provide them with houses and electricity.
Chintsa East location community leader Zamuxolo Guva says for the past 20 years residents have been forced to live in subliminal conditions. "If the municipality is unable to provide us with houses, they must give us land so that we can build houses ourselves," Guva said.
Police arrived in the area at 3am when they clashed with residents.
They reportedly fired rubber bullets and stun grenades while residents retaliated by throwing stones.
The protest follows the death on Saturday of community member Thandisizwe Lumkwana, 31, who died while trying to illegally connect electricity.
Police and officials from the Great Kei Municipality are currently locked in a meeting with community leaders to salvage the situation. The road remains closed.