Durban - There was pandemonium in uMlazi on Monday, as angry protesters blocked entries and exits to the south Durban township.
Reports of protests in the area emerged on Sunday night, when emergency response vehicles were prevented access.
Netcare 911 spokesman, Chris Botha, said just after 6pm, paramedics were called to attend to a person who was in a diabetic coma.
“They were in J-Section, when protesters started lobbing stones at them.”
A response vehicle was badly damaged, Botha said, and paramedics were forced to turn back.
A truck owner in uMlazi said on Monday morning there was anarchy in Z-Section, near the police station, with burning tyres strewn across the road.
A police officer at the scene said the crowd, which was more than 1 000 strong, was fed up because they did not have access to electricity and illegal power connections had caused injuries.
Police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane said residents of the Izimeleni and Glebelands hostel area blocked the road demanding electricity in the nearby informal settlement.
Residents took to social media to vent their ire.
Cynthia Hlambisa said: “Can someone please tell me what’s going on in uMlazi? #nowayout”. And Thembile Bhelekazi Khuboni said: “Stuck for I don’t know how long... Mangosuthu Highway dead stop.”
At about 8am, traffic had begun to clear.
Affected areas included the Mangosuthu Highway (through D-Section), Kwa-Mdladla (A-Section), V-Section and the uMlazi-Isipingo alternative exit.
Daily News