Durban - Protesters in Ladysmith have brought the town to a standstill as they demand the mayor step down.
On Thursday morning protester barricaded all major entry and exit points to the small town about 230 km north-west of Durban.
On Wednesday in the Alfred Duma Local Municipality came to a standstill – the third time in a month – with civic groups and residents marching with the demand that Mayor Vincent Madlala step down.
Madlala is accused of using municipal resources for personal benefit at the expense of service delivery.
The protesters, led by a civic organisation Ubumbano Lokuthula, with support from the taxi industry and certain minority political parties, handed over a memorandum of demands to town officials and vowed a complete shutdown if Madlala has not stepped down by Thursday.
On Wednesday evening a community hall in Ezakheni E section was burnt down, street signs uprooted and used to barricade the roads.
On Thursday morning parents were warned to fetch their children from school as there were threats to burn them down.
Protea Drive, Driefontein Road, Newcastle Road and many other roads were closed off.
"Where are the police or even the soldiers if the police feel that they have no power over this anarchy? We can’t be suffering because of one person. I’m stuck on Newcastle Road halfway to town. I can’t go back and I can’t move forward. This is getting worse as these people started yesterday with their destruction. It is clear that this was well organised to ensure a complete shutdown of the town,” said a resident from Driefontein who asked not to be named.
On Wednesday the municipality did not respond to the Daily News request for comment.
*This is a developing story.