Businesses affected by barricaded town
Lydenburg businesses are struggling to survive following community protests barricading the town.
Etli van der Merwe, the chairperson of the Lydenburg Mashishing Business Chamber (LMBC), was one of the residents and business owners that spoke out in outrage after the unrest in Lydenburg on Monday November 15.
The LMBC is currently in discussions with the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality and the Lydenburg SAPS to find a way forward. “We need to put plans in place to protect our businesses. This is not the first time heavy vehicles have blocked the entrances,” said Van der Merwe. There have also been reports of business intimidation.
All-access roads to Lydenburg and the town’s entrances were blocked by heavy vehicles on Monday November 15 from 04:00.
Mine employees could not leave for work on time and some parents were not able to take their children to school before mid-morning.
Also read: Husband killers sentenced
The police and other emergency services opened the roads by 13:00. The R37 (Burgersfort Road) was blocked as the vehicles parked across both lanes. This was also the case on the R540 (Dullstroom Road) and the R36 (Ohrigstad Road) on the other side of town. The trucks also blocked Voortrekker Street, the main road going towards Long Tom Pass, at 05:00.
By 10:00, the Lydenburg SAPS and Lydenburg Traffic Department were still trying to find tow trucks to move the vehicles out of the way. The drivers had disappeared, taking their keys with them.
The Lydenburg Unemployment Forum (LUF) took responsibility on social media for blocking the roads.
Pompies Ledwaba of the Mashishing Civic Coalition (MCC) had some insight into the reason behind the LUF protests. He said the forum was trying to gain momentum for its cause to receive equal employment opportunities. The MCC and LUF share similar ideologies.
All access roads to Lydenburg and the town’s entrances were blocked by heavy vehicles on Monday November 15 from 04:00. Mine employees could not leave for work on time and some parents were not able to take their children to school before mid-morning.
The police and other emergency services opened the roads by 13:00. The R37 (Burgersfort Road) was blocked as the vehicles parked across both lanes. This was also the case on the R540 (Dullstroom Road) and the R36 (Ohrigstad Road) on the other side of town.
The trucks also blocked Voortrekker Street, the main road going towards Long Tom Pass, at 05:00. By 10:00, the Lydenburg SAPS and Lydenburg Traffic Department were still trying to find tow trucks to move the vehicles out of the way.
The drivers had disappeared, taking their keys with them. The Lydenburg Unemployment Forum (LUF) took responsibility on social media for blocking the roads. Pompies Ledwaba of the Mashishing Civic Coalition (MCC) had some insight into the reason behind the LUF protests. He said the forum was trying to gain momentum for its cause to receive equal employment opportunities. The MCC and LUF share similar ideologies.
