The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has expressed deep concern and strongly condemns the violent service delivery protests that unfolded in Extension 4, Ratanda, in Lesedi Local Municipality on Friday.
In a statement on Saturday, SALGA said the protests resulted in the tragic loss of life and the torching of the Executive Mayor's property.
“While communities have a constitutional right to protest and express their dissatisfaction with service delivery, violence, intimidation, arson and other criminal acts have no place in a democratic society. Such actions endanger lives, destroy public and private property, and ultimately undermine the very service delivery improvements that communities seek,” SALGA President Cllr Bheke Stofile cautioned.
SALGA said it continues to advocate for constructive engagement between municipalities and communities.
“Residents are encouraged to utilise established channels of communication and public participation to raise their concerns, while municipalities must prioritise transparent and regular communication on service delivery challenges, planned interventions, and progress in resolving these challenges,” SALGA said.
The incident follows protests by community members over water outages in the area, reportedly linked to the throttling of bulk water supply to the municipality by the water utility, Rand Water, as part of its credit control measures.
Various entities of government are called upon to work together to speedily resolve the grievances of communities.
“Calm and restraint are needed from all parties to create an environment conducive to dialogue and sustainable solutions. Sadly, reports indicate that two lives have already been lost as a result of the violent protests. SALGA conveys its heartfelt condolences to their families.
“Law enforcement agencies are urged to investigate the reported deaths and criminal acts committed during the protests and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” SALGA said.
Data from SALGA’s Municipal Violence Incident Reporting System shows that between 2000 and 2026, there have been more than 400 incidents ranging from threats, property damage and assaults to deaths.
SALGA said this underscores the urgent need to strengthen law enforcement capacity to prevent and respond to such incidents.
“SALGA remains committed to promoting responsive, accountable and participatory local government, where community concerns are addressed through dialogue, mutual respect and lawful democratic processes,” the statement said. – SAnews.gov.za
