N4 Protests

[Richprins]

Protests raging in Waterval Boven and on N4
Motorists are warned to make use of alternative routes.
15 hours ago
Arisa Janse van Rensburg




WATERVAL BOVEN – This morning protests in the area started when community members closed the N4 near town.

According to police spokesman Col Mtsholi Bhembe, the police drove the protesters back into the Waterval Boven township.

He said after the police engaged with the community, they went back to close the N4 this afternoon where they were throwing rocks at cars.

“They are now playing a cat and mouse game with the police,” Bhembe said.

According to him, the community started their uprising this weekend after a community member was allegedly assaulted.

He said the community alleges that it is the fault of one of the local councillors.


“They are saying he has a group that goes around beating up people and that they want him to resign and be arrested,” Bhembe said.

This he classified as intergroup conflict calling for all role players, like Cogta, to come to the table and solve this ongoing conflict.

“Even though the N4 is now open, motorists are advised to uses alternative roads as the situation is still very tense,” Bhembe said.

Lowvelder will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

https://lowvelder.co.za/454867/protests ... -boven-n4/

[Dzombo]

If one has a grievance the civilized way to deal with it is called "due process"

[Alf]

Beyers Naude drive at Zandspruit here in Johannesburg is also closed due to protest action. Took me 2 hours yesterday to drive around it to get home

[Flutterby]

[Lisbeth]

I just read it

[Alf]

I saw now that they are protesting because two children got electrocuted over the past weekend due to illegal power cables lying all over the place. It's their own people doing that

The number of illegal power cables running over the road increased dramatically over the last few weeks. Some lamp poles look like they will fall over soon as these guys attached all these cables to the lamp poles crossing the road.

[Richprins]

N4 toll road open again after protest action
The N4 toll route was closed due to protest action earlier today, but has now reopened. Motorists are advised to proceed with caution.
23 hours ago



Traffic has returned to normal after the N4 toll road area at the Sudwala turn-off leading to Schoemanskloof was closed earlier today. It was blocked by a truck, reportedly by employees of Joubert & Seuns. Motorists are however still advised to proceed with caution when approaching Sudwala Caves turn off.




https://lowvelder.co.za/498710/n4-road- ... st-action/

[Lisbeth]

No less than the N4

[Richprins]

Protesting Elandshoek residents shut down N4 for almost five hours
The protest was sparked by the death of a community member who had been detained by police after his arrest on domestic violence charges
4 hours ago
Enver Wessels

MBOMBELA – The N4 toll route between Montrose and the Kaapsehoop intersection was closed for approximately five hours on Wednesday night.

The provincial SAPS spokesman, Brig Leonard Hlathi, said that the community of Elandshoek blocked the N4 with burning tyres, heavy rocks and trees.

They were protesting about Thomas Sibanyoni (42), who died in police custody on Saturday.
According to Hlathi, he was found to have hanged himself with a shoelace in a temporary holding cell, after police arrested him for a domestic violence-related complaint.

“The community insist that police killed him,” he said.

“An inquest docket was opened and a postmortem was conducted. The results did not suggest any foul play.”



Flying Squad and Public Order Policing were called to assist and the road was reopened around 00:40 on Thursday morning. According to the Trans African Concessions spokesman, Solange Soares, the closure was as a result of protesters who blockaded the road.
0126668717

“No damage was done to the road, but traffic was affected,” she said.

The Mpumalanga provincial safety, security and liaison spokesman, Mmusi Moeti, said the department condemned the protesters’ actions in the strongest possible terms.

“The road was heavily backed up, which had economic implications for those transporting perishables and other
goods,” Moeti said.



He added that, while everyone had a right to embark on protest action, no one had the right to do so by infringing on the rights of others to move freely.

“Regardless of how genuine their concerns were, the right to protest should not be exercised while infringing on the rights of others.

“This becomes a massive blow to the economy because certain goods are supposed to reach their destination by a certain time.”

Hlathi added that cases of looting and public violence were opened. No arrests had been made at the time of going to press.

https://lowvelder.co.za/513728/protesti ... ive-hours/

[Lisbeth]

Distribution of tranquilizers might be a solution