HAZYVIEW, Mpumalanga — The eBumbeni community protests over a prolonged lack of service delivery have intensified, with frustrated residents blocking the main road with rocks and burning tyres to demand immediate municipal intervention. The demonstration has severely disrupted traffic flow as the community draws attention to a severe, ongoing crisis involving basic human services.
At the heart of the eBumbeni community protests is a desperate demand for fundamental infrastructure. Residents report having been without reliable drinking water for years, forcing some to resort to illegal water and electricity connections to survive. The situation is particularly dire regarding power access; community members state that more than 50 households in the area have been completely without electricity for 15 years.
Speaking at the scene, protesting residents expressed deep frustration with local leadership. One resident highlighted that despite repeatedly updating the ward counselor about these critical issues, no tangible solutions have been delivered. The community’s anger culminated in a strike action near the T-road, with residents stating they can no longer endure living without electricity, proper roads, or water.
“We don’t have electricity here as a community,” one protester stated. “We’ve got more than 50 houses here, but we have never received any electricity in 15 years. Our children go to school with wrinkled clothes, and we look like we stay in the bush. We need help so that people can see us.”
During the demonstration, protesters penned in the ward counselor, demanding a formal meeting with the municipality to secure concrete timelines for infrastructure installation. Residents dismissed recent mentions of boreholes, bridges and street lights as inadequate, emphasizing that these measures do not address the fundamental lack of residential power and water.
In response to the escalating situation, a spokesperson for the City of Mbombela Local Municipality confirmed that a team would be dispatched to engage directly with the protesting community members. The spokesperson outlined commitments made on Friday to address the backlog, noting that the Department of Energy will meet with Eskom to discuss the electricity crisis.
Regarding the water shortage, the municipal spokesperson stated that the city has committed to drilling a new borehole for the area. In the interim, water tankers will be deployed to provide the community with immediate relief, and officials will return to give formal feedback on the long-term water service plans.
Despite these municipal assurances, the eBumbeni community has vowed to continue their protest actions until all their demands for basic service delivery are fully met.