Protest at City of Mbombela Civic Centre Locks Out Employees

Employees of the City of Mbombela (CoM) were left stranded on February 3 as protesters locked the gates of the Civic Centre with chains, preventing access to the premises.

A source confirmed the disruption, stating, “Gates are locked with chains at the Civic Centre. No one can enter. Officials are waiting in the street.”

Protesters Demand Action on Alleged Corruption

The protest was reportedly led by a group from Mataffin, who displayed placards on the locked gates with demands such as:

• “We demand our project back, Kaapsehoop Matsafeni bus road.”
• Calls for municipal manager Wiseman Khumalo, general manager Bertha Seloane, and construction company White Hazy to end corruption.

White Hazy, a company that has previously handled multiple construction projects for CoM, was directly named in the accusations.

Security Restores Access, Protest Leaders Enter Private Meeting

Security personnel later cut the chains, allowing municipal workers to enter the building. Meanwhile, leaders of the protest were invited to a meeting on the first floor of the CoM building.

When journalists arrived to cover the discussions, they were denied access, as the meeting was declared private. Protest leaders also refused to comment on the issue.

City of Mbombela and White Hazy Silent on Matter

As of publication, CoM spokesperson Joseph Ngala had not responded to inquiries regarding the protest. Similarly, calls to White Hazy went unanswered.

The situation remains tense as the protesters await official feedback from the municipality.