The serene facade of Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg, was disrupted on Monday, 12 February 2024, as residents took to the streets in protest.
Ennerdale service delivery protests: Roads to avoid on Monday, 12 February 2024
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The grievances? A familiar litany of poor service delivery that has long plagued the community.
This recent uprising is a continuation of a narrative of discontent, with protestors decrying inadequate sewerage systems, a scarcity of clean water, erratic electricity supply, and substandard residential infrastructure.
These issues are not new but are part of a chronic struggle against neglect that the residents of Ennerdale have voiced repeatedly.
Ennerdale, like many other communities, faces the challenges of an urban area left behind in development and basic service provision.
The community’s plea is clear: for the government to bridge the divide between policy and practice, ensuring that basic human rights to water, sanitation, and electricity are met.
In a statement, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla urged motorists travelling in and around Lawley and Ennerdale to avoid passages along Lawley Road, James Street and Provincial Road.
“Officers have been deployed and they are clearing the roadway for traffic to flow. Expect heavy traffic disruptions as routes leaving Lawley and Ennerdale have been barricarded off,” Fihla warned.
Ennerdale residents are expected to hand over a memorandum of demands at the town’s civic centre.
“The officers will continue to monitor the protest action in the area,” the police said.
Here are some of the videos that have emerged from the Ennerdale service delivery protests: