RIOTERS in Mankweng blocked the R71 road to Tzaneen with stones, debris and burning tyres on Monday in protest against billing by the Polokwane Municipality.
The angry crowd sang liberation songs and pelted vehicles as well as small businesses in the vicinity with stones.
Commuters had to walk more than a kilometre to use public transport, because their usual routes were inaccessible.
One of the commuters, Mapula Ngobeni, said it was difficult for her to catch the bus because the road was blocked with stones. “I walked a long distance to catch the second bus just to get to work,” she said.
The rioters dispersed when the public violence police fired rubber bullets into the crowd, reportedly injuring some people.
The crowd made for the Paledi Mall to take cover.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Mankweng Task Team chairperson Makama Malebana said Polokwane mayor, Thembi Nkadimeng, promised them that her office would review the water-billing system and come up with a solution during their last meeting at the community hall.
However, they had still not yet heard anything from her in this regard, he claimed.
“We want the municipality to write off all the existing water bills and start afresh. Some households don’t have water meters, but they receive statements. Our houses stink because there is no water to flush the toilets in the entire Unit-D.
“The municipality threatens to auction our properties in order to get their money. Nkadimeng failed to fulfil her promises. We wrote several letters and asked her to meet with us, but she ignored us.
“As leaders of the task team, we are blamed by residents who say we enjoy coffee with the mayor when we should be giving them feedback on our progress.
“Our march was peaceful until the police came and fired rubber bullets. We blocked the R71 after they fired the rubber bullets,” Malebana said.
DA ward councillor, David Setjie, said the DA would request an urgent council meeting to resolve this matter.
Municipal spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, said the mayor explained last month that those whose properties were valued at over R100 000 should pay assessment rates.
“We have suspended about 500 accounts owing assessment rates and the mayor explained to the residents that the municipality cannot continue to suspend their accounts.
“In September we had about six meetings with the Mankweng Task Team and explained everything to them.
“We also told them that the municipality took out a loan with the Development Bank of South Africa through the national treasury department for an electrification project. The loan application is being processed,” she said.
“We report everything to the task team in the meetings. We can’t write off their accounts. If we do that, what about other residents and how will be pay our supplier?”
I tebele andries letsoalo am talking on behalf of my parent M.J Letsoalo i’m complain about my account bill I was fill the ingident form a municipality reject my form 3times.the municipality tell us we have a backroom. yes we have. the problem is you will never to write the rates. that is not fair because there is many houses in township we have a greengrass and the garden. we use water from morning to afternoon what about us.please municipality be fair.