Residents of Gxwaleni location have embarked on a strike, disturbing the flow of traffic on the R394 route which links the R61 route and N2, between Magusheni and Phaka de. A super link truck was set alight, also a huge trench was also dug up in the middle of the road which makes it difficult for motorists to pass including emergency vehicles. Every movement was bought to a halt as people could not go to work, road freight could not move, and children could not go to school because of the unrest.

Protesters demand to be placed under Mzimvubu Local Municipality not Ntabankulu Municipality, as they believe the current municipality does not care about bringing basic service delivery needs such as water and electricity to them.

The Municipal Demarcation Board should just allocate us back to Mzimvubu Local Municipality, service delivery is much more important than allocating municipal wards and changing names, sooner or later they will give in to our demands, said one resident.

Eastern Cape MEC for Transport and Community Safety Xolile Nqatha has strongly criticized these actions, saying the intention was never to dissent, but criminals are taking this opportunity to destroy that which the Eastern Cape government has worked hard for and muddle people’s lives.

Eastern Cape Department of Transport spokesperson, Unathi Binqose has called on the public to work together with the police so that people who have committed these acts may be brought to justice.