For years, the people of Zeerust have endured relentless service delivery failures—constant electricity cuts and months without water—yet the government remains indifferent. Instead of taking action to fix these issues, authorities have chosen to silence frustrated residents with force.
On Tuesday, fed-up community members took to the streets in protest, blocking the N4 between Zeerust and the Skilpadshek border post. Their demands were simple: access to basic services that any government should provide. But instead of engaging with them, police fired rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators.
The water crisis, already dire, was exacerbated by a recent fire that destroyed an Eskom substation. District Mayor Khumalo Molefe admitted municipal mismanagement was to blame, stating, “This is a matter that should not have led to protest action. I think management dropped the ball; they have let us down.”
Yet despite this admission, authorities continue to treat residents as the problem rather than addressing the root cause. The government has had years to resolve these failures but has done little to improve conditions. Now, when the people demand action, they are met with violence.
Social media has erupted with frustration over the police’s heavy-handed response. On Facebook, user Legodi Laone Legodi shared a heartbreaking account of the events:
“The sad part about the whole protest in Zeerust is that old women were asking for one of the basic needs. A simple request—that it would be nice to go to sleep tonight, wake up tomorrow, open the tap in the morning and have water run out of the tap. Water to drink, water to bathe, water to flush the toilets. 💔 I saw a different angle of the video whereby police started shooting, and there were old ladies in the middle of the road who couldn’t even run away from the gunfire (rubber bullets) or the teargas. But then again, how would they even run away? 💔 It’s just heartbreaking.”
This post has been widely shared, echoing the sentiment of many residents who feel abandoned by their own government. The elderly, who should be protected, found themselves caught in the middle of a police crackdown—all for demanding their basic human right to water.
North West police spokesperson Adele Myburgh confirmed that authorities remain on high alert. “The road has been opened, and traffic is free-flowing. This came after unrest was reported and roads were blocked since early morning. Public order policing was immediately called to resolve the issues,” she said.
But where is this urgency when it comes to restoring water and electricity? Where is the immediate response when residents sit in darkness and go days without a drop of water? The government has the resources to mobilize police within hours, but no real plan to deliver essential services to the people of Zeerust.
How long must residents suffer before those in power take real action? The people of Zeerust are not protesting for luxury; they are demanding dignity. And until the government treats them with the respect they deserve, their frustration will only grow.
