LIMPOPO – A wave of community protests across the Mopani district has led to multiple road closures in recent weeks, with frustrated residents demanding better service delivery, particularly water access.

In Mafarani village, members of the Ntsako community took to the streets to protest a prolonged water crisis that has left households struggling for months. Greater Tzaneen Municipality ward councillor, Brian Mashele, confirmed that the protest followed repeated community meetings, where no action was taken despite urgent calls for intervention.

“The community had been using only one malfunctioning water machine to serve the entire village,” said Mashele. “After months of pleading for assistance (from the Mopani District Municipality (MDM), the water authority) with no response, people reached a breaking point.”

The protest led to the closure of the R529 road, prompting police intervention and rerouting of traffic via the R36 and R71.

In a positive development, the MDM responded to the protest by repairing and restoring two boreholes in the area, which are now operational.

Just days prior, the R81 GaSekgopo road was also closed due to similar community unrest. Residents voiced grievances over service delivery issues, forcing authorities to divert traffic through Munnik, Morebeng, and the R36 route to reach Mooketsi or Polokwane. That road was reopened following police intervention.

The growing number of community-led protests highlights a deepening frustration over inadequate infrastructure and slow municipal response across Limpopo. The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety has urged residents to engage through official platforms and encouraged motorists to monitor their Facebook page for the latest road updates.