Paul Kruger Gate Protests

[Richprins]

Kruger National Park
@SANParksKNP
·
1h
*R536 Hazyview - Paul Kruger Gate KNP* reports this morning of heaps of obstacles and debris placed in road at Belfast Village. Access KNP via Phabeni or Numbi Gates.

[Lisbeth]

Why doesn't the police put someone on guard when there are these kinds of protests?

[Richprins]

KNP Hazyview Gate closed third day in a row due to protests
The protest first started early on Tuesday morning (October 5) at Belfast Village.
3 hours ago
Chelsea Pieterse



Police monitor a road block near the KNP Hazyview Gate. >Photo: SAPS

Protestors have blockaded the Hazyview to Kruger Gate road for a third day now, following demands by the local community for a tarred road in the area.

Several residents of Belfast Village took to blocking the road with heaps of sand early on Tuesday morning, with the blockades still ongoing on Thursday afternoon.




The road block near the KNP Hazyview Gate early on Thursday morning (October 7). >Photo: SAPS

Provincial police spokesperson, Col Donald Mdhluli, said police are on the ground trying to monitor the situation, however, protestors seem to be operating in stealth.



“The police are not seeing any protestors on the road, but as soon as police shift to another area to monitor, the protestors come out and dump sand on the road before going back into hiding.”

It is unclear when the matter will be resolved. Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport spokesperson, Bongani Dhlamini, said the road in question is a provincial one, the D4382.

“It is just under 13km long and is a major economic route (including tourism, local commuter, and commercial vehicles) in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality in particular,” said Dhlamini.

“The department has earmarked the road for upgrading from gravel to a surfaced road for a number of years, but could not proceed because of limited funding.”


He said the road has been maintained through periodic selective re-graveling and annual routine maintenance such as grading, vegetation clearance and drain cleaning.

“The road has been designed for upgrading to a surfaced road. Procurement for construction has been planned for the current financial year of which advertising of the tender will be this month,” he said.

https://lowvelder.co.za/751928/knp-hazy ... kyLkr5y_7Y

[Lisbeth]

police are on the ground trying to monitor the situation, however, protestors seem to be operating in stealth.

The police is not monitoring enough

It is unclear when the matter will be resolved.

If just the police would decide to resolve it, it would be resolved in no time.

“The road has been designed for upgrading to a surfaced road. Procurement for construction has been planned for the current financial year of which advertising of the tender will be this month,”

This phrase does not fit the one above

Yet another municipality sleeping or not caring

[Richprins]

The thing is virtually none of these communities pay any rates or taxes. Yet they expect service delivery...

[Lisbeth]

Make them pay and then do the work and if they can't pay, do the work anyway

[Richprins]

[08/19, 06:36] Kruger Lowveld Network: *R536 Hazyview - Paul Kruger Gate* Road closed again at Belfast due to service delivery protests

[Richprins]

*ALERT*
"R536 Hazyview - Paul Kruger Gate road blocked by protesters at Belfast again"
Coordinates: -25.041171658798515, 31.09870376184626

[Lisbeth]

[Richprins]

Tuesday 20 September - update from SanParks
Road Update
The R536 through Shabalala Village en route to Paul Kruger Gate and Phabeni is clear for travelling. Please bear with us as the situation is fluid with fast changes.
Numbi is remains open as an alternative during this time.