Frustrated residents protest by blocking roads and disrupting traffic

AFRIKAANS REPORT BELOW

VANDERIJLPARK. – Furious residents of Bophelong blocked the R57 freeway between Milton Street and Curie Boulevard with burning tires, stones and branches yesterday (January 10) after their local councillor allegedly had not responded to their pleas for help.

The irate residents in the area allege that they have no electricity for the past three days – apparently as a result of a house that burned down. They are furious because the fire brigade never pitched up to help put out the fire. They wanted to “send a message” to the Emfuleni Local Municipality and their municipal councillor by burning tyres and blocking the roads.

According to unconfirmed information the municipality does not have fuel or money to buy fuel and therefore the fire brigade, traffic and municipal workers cannot carry out their duties.

Traffic was severely disrupted when the protesters barred the robot on the R57 freeway and Curie Boulevard from around 13:00 yesterday afternoon. After that, the whole road was blocked from Milton Street to the R57. By late afternoon the police defused the situation but protesters were still in the area until late last night.

This morning, Friday January 11, however, the road was already cleaned up except for the burnt-out tires’ wires that were still strewn in the road.

Photo Gallery : Jannie du Plessis (Vaalweekblad)

VANDERBIJLPARK. – Inwoners van Bophelong het gister, 10 Januarie,  uit desperaatheid die R57 tussen Miltonstraat en Curie boulevard met brandende bande, klippe en takke besaai nadat hul plaaslike raadslid nie op hul pleidooi vir hulp met hul elektrisiteitsprobleme gereageer is nie.

Die onstoke inwoners het, nadat ‘n huis wat afgebrand het en waar geen brandweer opgedaag het nie, verskeie kere gepoog om hul krag herstel te kry. Volgens die inwoners sit hulle reeds drie dae sonder krag en het begin betoog om vir die raadslid en die munisipaliteit ‘n “boodskap te stuur”. Volgens onbevestigde inligting deur die inwoners, het die munisipaliteit nie brandstof nie en ook nie geld om nog brandstof te koop nie met gevolg dat die brandweer, verkeer en munisipale werkers nie hul take kan uitvoer nie.

Betogers het ongeveer 13:00 die robot op die kruising tussen die R57 en Curie boulevard begin versper deur brandende bande te gebruik om die verkeer te ontwrig. Daarna is die hele pad met klippe besaai tot by die Miltonstraat en die R57 robot waar hulle met brandende bande die verkeer gestop het. Teen laatmiddag het die polisie die profbare situasie ontlont maar betogers was tot laataand in die omgewing bedrywig.

Vanoggend, Vrydag 11 Januarie, is die pad egter reeds skoon behalwe vir die uitgebrande bande se drade wat nog in die pad gelê het.

Photo Gallery : Jannie du Plessis (Vaalweekblad)