Update Video

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS & VIDEO - The march over electricity supply in Kwanokuthula is currently underway.

The N2 between Kwanokuthula and the Shell Garage is closed. Traffic is being diverted via Wittedrift and Airport Road and is flowing.

Residents are on their way to the municipal offices in Marine Drive to voice their concerns over the supply of electricity to the area. Residents indicated that they, among other things, wanted their electricity directly from Eskom as the muncipality used the prepaid system to recover rates and taxes. This has lead to residents receiving less electricity units than they pay for.

Municipal spokesman Manfred van Rooyen said the march had been approved and that it was expected that New Horizons and Qolweni residents would support the march too.

Van Rooyen added that police and other authorities had been keeping a close eye on the situation.

This is taking place in the wake of protest action on Tuesday night.

Several Qolweni residents staged a protest on Tuesday evening to voice their dismay around Bitou Municipality’s plan of action in address housing problems in the area.

Watch a video below:

Plettenberg Bay had been plagued by riots, mostly over housing, last year by various communities - some of which brought the coastal holiday town to a near standstill when residents gathered on the N2 blocking the road for traffic.

The protests temporarily came to an end after mayor Peter Lobese addressed communities and committed to various steps to attend to their concerns. One of these was to invite the relevant national and provincial departments to Plett to address their issues.

A plan has since been put in place to address the housing shortage, but after a housing committee meeting on Tuesday residents voiced their unhappiness with the process so far. This spilled over into another wave of protesting on Tuesday evening, which included the burning of tyres and stoning of passing vehicles on the N2 near the Plett footbridge.
The crowds were however dispersed after authorities intervened.

In the meantime Kwanokuthula residents indicated that they would stage a march to the municipal offices.

Read more in Thursday's KnysnaPlettHerald and online.

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