Durban - Motorists travelling to work were caught in traffic on the N2 Durban bound after protesters placed tyres on the busy freeway and set them alight on Tuesday.
Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad, Durban Metro police spokesperson, said police were clearing a similar incident on the N2 uMbogintwini area.
"Police have an idea of who could have done this and arrests are expected to be made. Tyres were placed across all the lanes and then set alight. This has caused a severe traffic backlog. Vehicles had to be diverted from the N2 in Isipingo onto the M4," Sewpersad said.
Police also urged motorists not to block the emergency lanes because this was hindering their response time to the scene. Sewpersad pleaded with motorists to let the fire department through so that the fires can be extinguished.
Sewpersad could not confirm exactly who was behind the protests.
On Monday, angry contractors dumped rubbish on the N2 near Isipingo over non-payment from the eThekwini Municipality for their services. The contractors, aligned to the Delangokubona Business Forum (DBF) were given contracts to collect rubbish in uMlazi.
Traffic came to a standstill on the N2 Freeway near the NPC cement factory in Durban. Picture Carmen Duncan-Facebook
Gaddafi Sibiya a businessman from the DBF said the contractors were tired of not being paid by the municipality. He alleged that the contractors had been told that their services would no longer be needed because the municipality had no funds to pay them.
“We will be shutting down the road until the municipality explains to us why we have not been paid and why there are no funds,” said Sibiya on Monday.
The contractors went to City Hall where they tried to meet with city officials on Monday