Mozambique: Leader of alleged "Naparamas" arrested
South Africa: Trucks block roads in Mpumalanga, including N4 to Mozambique
12:03 CAT | 06 Jul 2022
Image: Via The South African
Protesters in Mbombela blocked roads including the N4 highway linking South Africa to Mozambique with trucks Wednesday morning as they demonstrated against fuel prices rising to a new record.
The road between Mbombela, 350 kilometres east of Johannesburg, and White River has been obstructed by parked trucks, as is the N4 highway connecting the city to the border with Mozambique and the port of Maputo, Callum MacPherson, regional operations manager at Hi-Tech Security Nelspruit, said by phone.
There is also a group of protesters moving around the blockades, he said.
Petrol and diesel prices in South Africa surged to a fresh all-time high Wednesday on rising oil costs and as the government trimmed a temporary reduction in a fuel levy. Fuel has a weighting of almost 5% in South Africa’s consumer price basket and the increases will place further pressure on household finances and inflation.
Police in Mbombela, the Mpumalanga provincial capital, are trying to remove the trucks after drivers parked their vehicles and left with the keys, Selvy Mohlala, provincial spokesman for the South African Police Service, said by phone. Police are trying to redirect traffic to areas where there are no protests, he said.
The protests follow a strike by bus drivers in Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, on Monday after diesel prices were increased by 11% and petrol by 4.4%. The action ended after the government pledged to subsidize some fares.
By Matthew Hill and Khuleko Siwele
Long distance travellers are still stuck on the N4 toll route near Matsulu outside Mbombela, this amid the shutdown that saw major routes in the Lowveld blockaded with Debri and trucks.#RISEfmNEWS#mpumalanga#MbombelaShutdown pic.twitter.com/QuLXY2F2qW
— RISEfmNEWS (@RISEfmNEWS) July 6, 2022
Situation is very fluid in #Mbombela as soon as one area is opened they close at another area. Currently #N4 at Montrose Intersection for Schoemanskloof and Elandskloof is closed by Taxi’s and Trucks pulled across the R40 at Barberton Carolina Badplaas intersection@IanCameron23 pic.twitter.com/eLedCdpDwI
— SA emergency reports (@MARIUSBROODRYK) July 6, 2022
#NationalShutdown @Radio702 Possibly hijacked trucks have blocked entry to Nelspruit on the N4 pic.twitter.com/cZX1Lw8PC8#NationalShutdown
— SA emergency reports (@MARIUSBROODRYK) July 6, 2022
Mpumalanga police say they have managed to open the N4 highway in Mbombela, after it was allegedly blocked by taxi operators using trucks in protest over the latest fuel price hike. #FuelProtest #FuelPriceHike PM
📸Twitter pic.twitter.com/By55Xe9A4a
— CapricornFM News (@CapricornFMNews) July 6, 2022
N4 closed by taxi associations due to diesel increases, truck drivers forced to block the road pic.twitter.com/8hATd3ogn4
— bataku Prince & Princess (@Kennedy94494120) July 6, 2022
The crossing centre in Nelspruit between R40 & The N4 also closed #NationalShutdown #NelspruitTwitter @TrafficSA @mwelimasilela @TRACN4route pic.twitter.com/L4CiUJgYQt
— 👑 King HarRis 👑 (@TheOnlyKhazana) July 6, 2022
Situation is very fluid in #Mbombela as soon as one area is opened they close at another area. Currently #N4 at Montrose Intersection for Schoemanskloof and Elandskloof is closed by Taxi’s and Trucks pulled across the R40 at Barberton Carolina Badplaas intersection@Vusi_Dhlozi pic.twitter.com/3XQNaSF67T
— SA emergency reports (@MARIUSBROODRYK) July 6, 2022
Source: Bloomberg
Show comments
Also read
Leave a Reply
Be the First to Comment!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.