Chairperson of the Road Incident Management System in the Kenneth Kaunda District, Vusi Mohlakore, warns motorists to steer clear of the the N12, section 16, which is next to the Ikageng township. 

Mohlakore says officials have informed him the unrest is not violent, residents are merely blocking the road. He says motorists coming from Klersdorp should make use of the Mooibank Road, then rejoin the N12 heading to Johannesburg. 

He says traffic officials from Matlosana Local Municipality are stationed on the N12 at the bridge to assist with traffic.

"Those coming into Potchefstroom from Johannesburg, they must go into the town, join the Mooibank Road, get off the bridge and head to Klerskdorp."

Mohlakore says he cannot elaborate on the reasons behind the unrest.

Last month 150 disgruntled protestors took to the streets burning tyres and barricading roads. The resident demanded that mayor of the JB Marks Municipality, Kgotso Khumalo, must vacate his position. They accused him of ignoring repeated calls for better service delivery and made allegations of corruption. 

Residents told OFM News’ Cathy Dlodlo at the time that they had been subjected to sewage spills and potholes amongst others. Councillors from Opposition parties previously raised concerns about the amalgamation of Potchefstroom’s Tlokwe Municipality with the financially bankrupt Ventersdorp Municipality last year. 

The amalgamated municipality is now called the JB Marks Municipality which residents says have been in financial stress since the merger. 

Democratic Alliance’s Neels Coetzer said at the time that it was unfair to expect the taxpayers of the municipality previously known as Tlokwe, to now pay on behalf of Ventersdorp residents.

OFM News