The community members of Moremala Village embarked on a protest on this morning, May 30, claiming that they had been without water for three weeks and accused the Thaba Chweu Local Municipality (TCLM) of not attending to their grievances.

They decided to barricade the R532 between the Vaalhoek area and Bourke’s Luck Potholes entrances. They used rocks, burning tyres and trucks to close the road, but the police eventually managed to disperse the angry mob. The irate protesters claimed that the matter had been reported to the municipality on several occasions and allege that officials are dragging their feet to resolve the problem. Despite the issue, no attempt was made to address it.

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The spokesperson for TCLM, Themba Sibiya, said they are aware of the protest. He said the area does not have water because the two boreholes and pump station, supplying water to the area, broke down. “Procurement to repair the damages commenced. However, budget issues and unavailability of spares from suppliers had an effect and there was a delay. But so far two contractors have been appointed and they confirmed that the equipment had been ordered. The installation is expected to be done today once the material has been delivered.”

Sibiya also said the road has been cleared. However, it is not guaranteed that the protest will not flare up again. He advised motorists to use alternative routes. The police are currently in the area monitoring the situation.