WATCH | Roads barricaded in Noordgesig due to protest over outages

Motorists have been advised to avoid several roads in and around Noordgesig in Soweto after protests flared up on Thursday morning.

Videos emerged showing residents barricading several roads, including the Soweto Highway and the N17 with burning tyres and rubble. In one post, angry residents can be seen throwing what appears to be rubbish onto the highway, forcing traffic to a standstill.

Joburg metro police spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed the protest, saying it was due to power outages in the area.

“Several roads around Noordgesig, Orlando East and Pennyville are barricaded off to traffic,” he said. These include:

• the Soweto Highway between Eben Cuyler Drive and the Main Road/Mooki Street intersection;
• Main and New Canada roads through Noordgesig and Pennyville; and
• the N17 between the Soweto Highway and the N1 exit.

“It's indicated that residents are protesting over power outages in the area and officers are closely monitoring the situation which is tense, as we've received earlier reports of passing vehicles being stoned.”

Fihla said vehicles were being diverted from these closures and urged motorists to “exercise extreme caution and to use alternative routes such as Main Reef Road, Ben Naude Street in Diepkloof, Masopa Street in Diepkloof and in Orlando East and Chris Hani Road”.

Fihla earlier said the situation remained calm despite the protests and officers had been dispatched to monitor the situation.

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