WATCH: Isipingo roads re-opened after early morning service delivery protests

Published Sep 19, 2019

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Durban - Service delivery protests caused traffic mayhem in uMlazi and Isipingo Orient Hills, south of Durban on Thursday. 

Residents from a transit camp on Mfundi Mngadi Drive (M35) blocked the road with refuse, tyres and tree stumps and set them alight between Phila Ndwandwe Road/Platt Drive intersection and Citrus Drive. Traffic travelling to and from Umlazi,  Orient Hills, Lotus Park, Malukazi and Embokodweni were affected. 

Tyres were also placed across the road and set alight in the Reunion business district outside the Pelgrim Train station. 

Durban Metro police spokesperson Parboo Sewpersad said the roads were reopened after Public Order Police intervened. 

He said the city sent in Tractor Loader Backhoe (TLB) to clear the road. 

Police officers also swept glass bottles and debris from the road surface. 

Protests near a transit camp between Orient Hills and Platt Drive in Isipingo, south of Durban. Video supplied

Sunil Brijmohan, eThekwini ward 90 councillor, blamed the protest on housing issues and a communication breakdown between city housing officials and transit camp residents.  

“We have put some much of effort in cleaning up the town. A meeting was supposed to be held between the city housing officials and the transit camp residents just before September 1. That never materialize. So they feel that they been ignored again which is not the case,” he said.  

Brijmohan said he met with the new chief whip of the municipality to address the issue. 

“We had a change of leadership in the municipality this month. Once the leadership have settled in we hope to meet again before month end to discuss and unlock housing projects in my ward,” he said.

Protests near a transit camp between Orient Hills and Platt Drive in Isipingo, south of Durban. Video supplied

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