Protesters shut down Umzinto
Business owners expressed frustration over the financial losses incurred during the shutdown.
Umzinto CBD came to a standstill recently as protesters from various informal settlements took to the streets, setting fire to tyres, bins, skips, and even portable toilets.
The demonstrators voiced their grievances over the lack of cleaning services for their portable toilets, which they claim have gone unattended for a month due to non-payment by the Ugu Municipality to the service provider.
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Ugu District Municipality’s mayor, Cllr S Mqadi engaged with the protesters and informed them that Ugu had a contract with Sanitech until its expiration.
Subsequently, Ugu realised that waste disposal services were not within their jurisdiction but fell under the responsibility of the Department of Human Settlement and Umdoni Municipality.
This clarification led to the dispersal of the protesters after the address by Mayor Mqadi.
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The protest resulted in the closure of all businesses for a significant part of the day, with only a few reopening once the crowd had dispersed.
Business owners expressed frustration over the financial losses incurred during the shutdown.
The aftermath of the protest, combined with the uncollected refuse due to a work stoppage by Umdoni Municipality, has left the town’s central business district (CBD) in disarray.
