Clashes have broken out between angry community members in Stutterheim and the Eastern Cape public order police on a hilly terrain between Mlungisi township and Stutterheim.
The police so far have arrested two suspects for public violence. All roads to the township have been blockaded with burning tyres, tree logs and rocks, cutting off hundreds of people.
Thousands of school children are not in class as schools are closed. King William's Town police spokeswoman Captain Siphokazi Mawisa said the protest started at 4am.
Mawisa said: "They closed the entrance road to Mlungisi Township with burning tyres and stones. The protest is related to a service delivery issue, the details of which are unknown. POPS is on the scene and monitoring the situation."
Mawisa said the two suspects will appear in the Stutterheim Magistrate's Court soon.
Hundreds of people are stuck on both sides of Cumakala River which has a bridge linking the township and the town.
One of the stranded people is department of environmental affairs intern and Lovedale student Asavela Hewu, 33, and her six colleagues. Hewu said the bridge blockage means that she cannot go to the township's Cenyu Comunity Hall to undergo their civil engineering practical training.
"I am thinking of quitting this internship, we can't continue living like this. We could not work for two weeks the last time this happened."
Meanwhile the busy N6 which links East London and Johannesburg is open again for traffic.
Most shops in town are closed. The only major store opened is Pick n Pay at the corner of Maclean and Brownely roads. There are no disruptions taking place in town...