Mthatha descended into chaos on Monday as angry residents blockaded several major entry points into the city, including sections of the N2 and R61, using burning tyres and large rocks.
Public Order Police were deployed to restore calm, while firefighters extinguished burning barricades.
Motorists, taxi operators and schoolchildren were forced to find alternative routes to reach the CBD or travel across the city, with traffic severely disrupted throughout the morning.
King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) local municipality mayor Nyaniso Nelani described the protests as illegal and said they were driven by two key grievances.
According to Nelani, some of the demonstrators were victims of the devastating June 2025 floods who were demanding permanent housing.
Others, particularly in Ngangelizwe township, were protesting over prolonged electricity outages after a violent storm toppled electricity poles and left live cables hanging low.
Residents in parts of the township have reportedly been without power for weeks.
Nelani said a contractor had been appointed last week to repair the damaged poles and restore electricity supply.
He said the national human settlements department had intervened and assessed flood victims who were still being housed at Northcrest Hall, with further interventions expected.
“While the municipality is sympathetic to the plight of affected residents and remains committed to resolving service delivery and housing concerns through the appropriate channels, illegally blocking roads and employing violent tactics are counterproductive and dangerous,” Nelani said.
The June 10 floods, which affected various parts of the Eastern Cape including Mthatha, claimed 103 lives — among them young children — and left thousands of families homeless.
While some victims were provided with temporary accommodation, permanent housing solutions are still being sought, with authorities working to secure suitable land.
Among the roads affected on Monday were the R61 in Mthatha West, the bypass linking the R61 and the N2 near Northcrest, the N2 near Ultra City, the Tutor Ndamase Drive intersection connecting Ikwezi township and Ngangelizwe, Bernard Schultz Drive, Tembu Road — a key taxi route — and the R61 near Zingisa Comprehensive School.
Zingisa principal Nomonde Matyumza confirmed that a large number of pupils were unable to attend school due to the road closures.
Taxi driver Zizo Mangqobe, who ferries passengers from Ngolo in Libode to Mthatha, said he was forced to divert.
“I had to turn and use the Ncambedlana route which was one of the few safe routes to get to Mthatha,” he said.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said shortly before midday that all blocked roads had been reopened and the situation was calm.
“She confirmed that Public Order Police, KSD law enforcement officers and crime prevention members had been deployed to monitor the protests and manage traffic disruptions. No arrests were made.”
Provincial transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose criticised the targeting of roads during protests.
“Protests that have little to do with road infrastructure, and the burning of tyres and barricades, weaken asphalt layers and shorten the lifespan of our roads, resulting in costly repairs that strain limited public resources,” he said.
The OR Tambo district municipality also condemned the disruptions, describing them as unlawful and dangerous.
“The municipality respects the constitutional right to peaceful protest.
“However, acts of violence, intimidation and destruction of infrastructure will not be tolerated.
“We remain open to lawful, structured and constructive engagement,” it said.
Municipal authorities warned that while they remained willing to engage with affected residents, further acts of damage to infrastructure could result in legal consequences.
Daily Dispatch
