Burning tyres and protesters blocked the R343 next to ekuPhumleni, approaching the R72 near Kenton-on-Sea, as well as the main entrance to ekuphumleni, early this morning, Monday May 27. This is according to sources at the scene.
Police arrived and the blockade on the R343 was cleared for traffic.
At 9.40am sources on site said the barricade at the main entrance to ekuPhumleni remained.
At 9.30am South African Police Service spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy confirmed that the R72 between Port Alfred and Alexandria is open to traffic.
IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING ON THE N2 EASTWARDS:
Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said this morning (Monday May 27):
“Those travelling to, from and through the Mthatha area are urged to either delay their travel time significantly, or avoid the town completely as law enforcement is busy trying to control the situation in the town.
“All the major entry/exit points have been blockaded, allegedly by protesting taxi operators. They have hijacked trucks and used them to blockade both sides of the N2, and have done the same with the R61 road.
“This has also affected the operations in the Mthatha Airport which has also been forced to close for the time being.”
On Monday at 10am Binqose reports that there is large-scale looting of the trucks that were brought to a halt by the taxi operators in Mthatha.
