WOMAN’S LEG AMPUTATED DURING SERVICE DELIVERY PROTEST

By Staff Reporter

HARRISMITH- When leaving home to join a service delivery protest in their area on Wednesday, a -30- year old Lungile Vilakazi, only  wanted to register her voice, little did she know that her leg would be amputated.

Vilakazi met the tragedy when she was hit by a moving police Nyala  during a service delivery at Harrismith on Wednesday.

In an interview with The Guard  police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said a case of reckless and negligent driving has been registered, after a woman was hit by a nyala as she allegedly jumped the  fence during service delivery protest in Harrismith.

Meanwhile a  -35-year truck  driver was burned to death after he lost control of his vehicle  due to protester allegedly throwing stones at him while trying to pass by Makgolokweng near Harrismith town in the eastern Free State  at about 10:45 on Wednesday.

According to Free State police spokesperson  Brigadier  Motantsi Makhale it is alleged that witness  saw a few people standing at the Makgolokweng turnoff, throwing stones at this truck .

“Apparently as a result thereof , the driver of the truck lost control and drove into the veld where the truck hit an embankment and caught fire. It is alleged by police who arrived first at scene found a Scania truck with a trailer burning in the veld. Police could not see the driver until after the fire has subsided. They saw a body on the  passenger seat  burned to death,” Makhele explained in a statement.

The incidents stemmed from a service delivery protest  by disgruntle residents of Maluti-a-phofung local municipality  who accused  municipality of neglecting them and want to be removed  out and be  independent or  be placed  under  another municipality  in the Free State . They are unhappy with the unreliable provision of  electricity and water ,including spillages of sewerages. Irate community members are also not complained that Maluti-a-phofung local municipality has neglected them yet they contribute to paying services. At least 30 people  of which three are minor have been arrested in  Harrismith.