Protest action results in closure of major roads in eMalahleni
Both directions of the N4, and several other roads, have been closed by angry protesters since yesterday. TRACN4 advised motorists to use alternative routes.
The N4 between the Balmoral interchange and the N4/N12 split near eMalahleni has been severely affected by service delivery protests this week.
According to Witbank News, some communities in Kwa Guqa have been without electricity for 16 days.
The protests commenced on Tuesday evening, May 9.
According to the Witbank Community Policing Forum, other roads that have been closed are those in and out of the Vosman area, the Old Ogies Road and the railway road leading to Klarinet.
The TRACN4 spokesperson, Solange Soares, said due to the protesters’ violent nature, TRACAssist was forced to close the N4/N12 split section of the road as a precautionary safety measure.
“Protesters blockaded the road with burnt trucks and other objects. As the concessionaires of the N4 route, TRAC has no law enforcement authority and since the protests started we have been in close contact with law enforcement agencies that have been, and still are, at the scene,” Soares said in a statement.
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She said TRAC respects the right to peaceful protest, as per the South African Constitution.
“However, we condemn demonstrations which pose a safety and security threat to road-users and cause damage to property.”
She said TRACAssist teams are on site, assisting with traffic management and directing road-users to alternative routes.
Alternative roads motorists can use:
• Westbound (towards Pretoria): After the Middelburg Plaza take the N12 at the N4/N12 split, then take the Delmas off-ramp which leads to Bronkhorstspruit (R42) from where the N4 can be reached again.
• Eastbound (towards Mbombela): Take the Bronkhorstspruit Interchange (R42) towards Delmas, and then join the N12 which joins the N4 just before the Middelburg Plaza.
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ELM’s executive mayor, Cllr Conny Nkalitshana, scheduled a feedback engagement with community members in Vosman today, May 11.
This is a developing story. Mpumalanga News will keep its readers updated as more information becomes available.
