Protestors torch Mandlazini hall
‘There will be no voting at Mandlazini’ say angry protestors.
SERVICE delivery riots broke out in Mandlazini in the early hours of this morning with angry protestors torching the Mandlazini Community Hall and threatening to burn down the home of uMhlathuze Ward 4 Councillor Nicholas Madondo.
Police had to use teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the more than 500 protesters, mostly local youth, and there are unconfirmed reports that one person has been shot.
Zululand Observer journalists are on the scene with police and the route to Richards Bay Minerals via Mandlazini has been closed. No vehicles are being allowed in and out of the suburb.
The angry strikers also threatened to burn down the homes of residents who chose to vote tomorrow.
According to sources, angry community members said, ‘There will be no voting at Mandlazini on election day.’
The irate community members reportedly hail from the buffer zone between Mandlazini and the Richards Bay Airport. Taking matters into their own hands, residents said they had been promised electricity for years and were ‘fed up’ of poor service delivery from the municipality.
Rumours about possible protest action surfaced from 10pm last night when residents were coerced to participate in the service delivery protest this morning.
Police are still on the scene and the situation is tense.
