Home Soweto protests: Johannesburg traffic halted as locals burn tyres, block roads

Soweto protests: Johannesburg traffic halted as locals burn tyres, block roads

A tidal wave of anger has swept across Soweto on Monday morning, after residents blockaded roads and set fire to tyres earlier on. Several regions have seen their electiricity cut-off by Eskom after the municipalities of Soweto failed to settle their debts with the energy firm. The tense stand-off has inadvertently caused a traffic nightmare in this part of Johannesburg.

Why are residents protesting in Soweto?

The disconnection has not lasted long in some areas, though. As The Sowetan report, a few electrical boxes supplying the areas with power are now guarded by groups of residents “armed with whistles” to ensure that Eskom employees do not return to disconnect their power.

Meanwhile, other Soweto residents are simply bypassing Eskom’s rules and hooking themselves up to the mains via illegal connections. The situation could turn ugly, and we’ll have updates of any developments as we get them.

Latest traffic updates for Johannesburg on Monday 3 February

Traffic is being affected in Moroka South and that rocks and burning tyres are blocking roads including Elias Motsoaledi Road. The wide-area protest is taking place from White City to Moroka Road, as well as Nancefiled and Chris Hani in Soweto.

The areas currently blocked-off include Mapetla, Rockville, White City, Central Western Jabavu and Dlamini. Their nonpayment to Eskom has proved to be the final straw. However, it seems the anger has doubled over the weekend, and service delivery protests have also been reported on Monday morning.

Elsewhere, an act of cable theft in Benoni has left the following train stations and routes without service:

  • Faraday
  • Westgate
  • Jikeliza Line
  • Germiston to Dunswart
  • Kaalfontein to Pretoria


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