Update: N4 highway re-opened for traffic after protests

North West Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari

North West Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari has pleaded with protesting Dinokana residents to open the N4. Picture: Molaole Montsho African News Agency (ANA) File

Published Jan 6, 2022

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Rustenburg - The N4 highway in Dinokana near Zeerust in North West was re-opened for traffic on Thursday evening after it was closed due to a service delivery protest.

The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management said traffic on the freeway was flowing and law enforcement authorities were monitoring the situation.

The highway linking South Africa and Botswana was closed after residents of Ikageleng in Dinokana barricaded it with tree branches, allegedly complaining about a lack of water.

“The N4 Dinokana is currently closed and road users are urged to use alternative routes. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are monitoring the situation,” the department said earlier in a statement.

Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari pleaded with Dinokana residents to open the N4.

Lehari said government knows and understand that members of the community have a right to express themselves, however this should not infringe on the rights of others.

Meanwhile in a separate incident, 21 undocumented Zimbabweans were arrested in Swartruggens, North West, during a joint law enforcement operation on the N4 highway on Wednesday.

“Twenty males of various ages and a female used the Skilpadshek border, Zeerust, to enter into South Africa from Botswana,” Lehari said

Lehari encouraged everyone utilising South African ports of entry to possess legal travelling documents to avoid landing on the wrong side of the law.

“With the world still in the middle of a pandemic, we cannot afford to take a chance. We know that these are our brothers and sisters but the law has to take its course.”

He said law enforcement operations were conducted to encourage road user to obey rules.

“We have been doing operations with the aim of encouraging road users to obey the rules. Anyone who is found to be on the wrong side of the law must be brought to book,“ he said.

IOL

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