MOTORISTS ADVISED TO AVOID N4 AS THE STRIKE CONTINUES
against the ongoing strike in Emalahleni over electricity supply disruption: Picture Credit IOL
EMalahleni:Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Vusi Shongwe, urges motorists travelling from Pretoria to Emalahleni and vice-versa through the N4 toll road, to continue avoiding road near Vosman in Emalahleni as far possible as advised days ago, due to the protracted violent protests in the area.
The protesters have barricaded the road for days now, and it is alleged that the protest was among others sparked by the lack of electricity supply in the area. The protests has been marred by violence, with some protesters reportedly throwing stones to passing vehicles. They allegedly closed some of the routes in the area.
The protests have been costly to motorists and community members who had to use other unfamiliar routes to reach their destinations.
The law enforcement officers who include traffic officers and the police have had their hands full as they dealt with this violent protest and redirected frustrated road users.
MEC Vusi Shongwe notes that despite the efforts made by Emalahleni local Municipality to bring an end to the impasse, the N4 toll road in Vosman remains closed.
Shongwe is, therefore, calling on protesters to respect the rights of other people when they protest. He has condemned the ongoing violence and criminality that have characterised most protests in the province, including Emalahleni and Bushbuckridge.
“Our progressive Constitution guarantees everyone’s rights to expresss themselves freely, and this include to right to protest. These rights however does not mean the infringements of the rights of others. Protesters must respect the rights of other people to move freely. They should refrain from destroying public or private properties regardless of issues that they wish to bring to the attention of authorities,” says the MEC.
He adds that the N4 toll road is an essential link between South Africa and countries like Eswatini, Mozambique, and Botswana. Therefore, Shongwe insists, its closure has far-reaching economic implications for the province and the country as a whole.
Shongwe is also appealing to protest leaders to always ensure that criminal elements are not allowed to thrive during protests.
He has also thanked the security cluster for all efforts made so far to respond to the protest.
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