Residents riot after woman dies in coal mine
Part of the problem is that the women of the community are the ones who are involved in accidents trying to gather water and coal for their families
Mabhekazi residents burned tyres and blocked roads with branches and stones on Monday morning as part of a service delivery protest. Mabhekazi is an informal settlement near Waaihoek, about 25km from Ladysmith.
The rioting followed the death of a woman from the Shangela area after being trapped in a mine. Another person is in hospital after also being trapped in the same mine. They were in the mine to dig up Mpusheni (coal dust), which community members use to start a fire when cooking.
The protesters are angry about the lack of electricity and water in the area, and say that the woman would still be alive if they had electricity. It all began when two women, Sizani Malevu and Zanele Khumalo, went to a nearby coal mine last Monday afternoon, but never returned home. One of them died in a rock-fall while trying to dig up the Mpusheni, while the other sustained injuries and is recovering at Ladysmith Provincial Hospital.
“When I got to the scene, two people were reported to have been buried by stones and sand. We tried to phone for an ambulance, but emergency services took so long to arrive,” explains Zanele Buthelezi, who also digs up coal dust in the same mine.
The community of Waaihoek took to the streets in the early hours of this morning (Monday) to express their anger at apparent service delivery failure by Ward 6 NFP councillor Sicelo Zikalala. “Last week someone died because they did not have electricity,” fumed one angry resident.
The whole morning was marked by scenes of burning tyres and stones blocking roads until the intervention of police and Public Safety officers. uThukela Mayor Dudu Mazibuko and Ladysmith Mayor Vincent Madlala arrived to listen to the protesters’ grievances. Mayor Mazibuko urged the community not to take matters into their own hands and to address their issues using the correct channels.
Part of the problem that catapulted the community into protest is that the women of the community are the ones who are involved in accidents trying to gather water and coal for their families.
Cllr Zikalala was not available for comment.
