The Executive Mayor of Mahikeng Local Municipality in the North West, Tshepiso Mphehlo, is expected to hold an emergency meeting with frustrated residents of Masutlhe village following a service delivery protest that brought parts of the area to a standstill and disrupted the ongoing matric final examinations.
Residents took to the streets early on Tuesday, blocking major roads with burning tyres and debris in protest against prolonged water and electricity shortages in the village.
The protest caused significant disruption, particularly for learners and teachers attempting to access nearby schools during the critical examination period.
Residents raise concerns over water and electricity shortages
Speaking on YOU FM’s Newshour, municipal spokesperson Johnny Nkoane acknowledged the community’s grievances over the long-standing shortages of water and electricity.
He said the municipality had established the underlying issues behind the protest, while expressing concern about the decision to block major roads, including routes leading towards areas such as Vryburg.
Nkoane said the disruption had affected nearby schools, preventing both educators and learners from accessing school premises.
He added that the situation had caused considerable distress among families, particularly because matric learners are currently writing their final examinations.
“We have established the root causes of this protest. The community is demonstrating against an ongoing, long-standing shortage of water and electricity.
“While we acknowledge these grievances, we are deeply disappointed by the decision to block the main road leading to areas like Vryburg. Our primary concern remains the nearby schools, which have been severely affected, resulting in the disruption of ongoing exams,” said Nkoane.
He further expressed concern that neither teachers nor pupils had been able to access school facilities, describing the disruption as particularly distressing during such an important academic period.
Mayor to engage directly with Masutlhe community
Following engagements with various government departments and the Office of the Premier, the municipality confirmed that arrangements had been made for an emergency meeting between the mayor and the affected community.
Nkoane said Mayor Mphehlo was expected to visit Masutlhe village on Wednesday morning to engage directly with residents, address their concerns and outline a plan to restore essential services.
The mayor will reportedly be accompanied by heads of relevant government departments and the local headman.
According to Nkoane, the engagement is intended to ease tensions, find common ground with residents and reassure the community that the water and electricity challenges are receiving urgent attention.
“The Executive Mayor will be visiting the area tomorrow (Wednesday) morning to engage directly with the community. His goal is to defuse the standoff and outline a clear roadmap for restoring utility services.
“He will be accompanied by the heads of relevant government departments and the local headman to reassure the community that this matter is receiving the urgent attention it deserves,” Nkoane said.
Education authorities appeal for protection of matric examinations
Meanwhile, acting North West Education MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi has appealed to Masutlhe residents to suspend protest action that could further disrupt the education of learners.
Mosenogi emphasised that the impact of the protest extended beyond matric candidates, as learners in other grades were also writing their final examinations.
She urged residents to allow teachers and pupils to access schools while continuing to raise their concerns through constructive engagement with the relevant authorities.
“I want to take this opportunity to appeal to the community of Masutlhe village to hold off their protests and allow learners and teachers to go to school.
“I am appealing for constructive engagement between the community and the relevant authority without compromising learners’ education,” Mosenogi said.
Service delivery remains a key concern in the North West
The Masutlhe protest comes just days after the local government elections, during which communities across the North West repeatedly identified reliable water supplies and electricity stability as key service delivery priorities.
The latest demonstrations have once again highlighted the challenges facing communities that continue to experience interruptions to essential municipal services.
Residents are now expected to use the planned engagement with the mayor and government representatives to seek answers and a practical timeline for resolving the shortages.
The outcome of Wednesday’s meeting could prove important in determining whether tensions ease and normal access to roads and schools is restored, allowing learners to continue their examinations without further disruption.
