Residents block roads in Louis Trichardt

Angry residents blocked several roads in Makhado Municipality, Limpopo including the N1 leading to and from Louis Trichardt on Monday demanding service delivery. The strike supported by residents of the Sinthumule, Kutama and Tshikota townships wants upgrades on deteriorating roads and improved services.

They are specifically demanding the completion of phase 2 of the rehabilitation of the D3715 from Madodonga.

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In addition, they have also raised the issue of shortages of water and poor electricity in their villages. Many local schools had to be closed on Monday while some workers were unable to report for duty.

Chairperson of the Zoutpansberg Community Development Forum (ZCDF), Patrick Sikhutshi says they had enough of empty promises. more especially from the Department of Public Works and Makhado Municipality. He says they have been promised rehabilitation of the roads since 2022 but nothing has been done so far.

MAKHADO MUNICIPALITY RESIDENTS BLOCK ROADS IN DEMAND OF BETTER SERVICE DELIVERY

“Every time Public Works officials promise to rehabilitate the road, which is only eight kilometres from Madodonga to Tshikhodobo,” said  Sikhutshi

“Taxi and bus owners are tired of having their precious minibuses run along this road because it wears off their vehicles in a matter of a few weeks. It is difficult to drive on this road when it has rained. We need a proper road here,” added Sikhutshi.

Meanwhile, the protests have resulted in Makhado Local Municipality Mayor Dorcus Mboyi cancelling her back-to-school campaign. Mayor Mboyi was scheduled to visit the Rivoni School for the blind in Elim earlier in the morning. She was meant to monitor the re-opening of schools in the area. But the Municipality has since issued a notice to notify the residents of the cancellation of her visit.