Situation 'tense' in northern KZN as water and tar protest enters day 3

Police have described the situation as tense on the R34 between Melmoth and Vryheid in northern KwaZulu-Natal. 

This after a service delivery protest related to tarred roads and water began on Monday. 

Provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Thulani Zwane said the community members of Mpungamhlophe are blocking the road with burning tyres, stones and trees.

"They are complaining of service delivery. Police are still monitoring the situation," Zwane said. 

A community leader in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they had been addressed by Zululand district mayor Thulasizwe Buthelezi on Monday. 

"He promised to come with positive answers to address our demands to be supplied with water and tar roads."

Unhappy with the mayor's response to their demands, members of the community protested again on Tuesday.

Nine people were arrested for public violence. 

Members of the Ulundi public order policing unit have been deployed to restore calm to the area.

The mayor's office did not respond at the time of publishing.