Moutse residents protest to demand road overhaul and power relief
DENNILTON – Citing “constitutional neglect”, hundreds of Moutse residents confronted Limpopo authorities and Eskom on Friday 24 April 2026, tabling two memorandums that tie failing infrastructure to basic human rights.
The mass action saw community members from various Moutse villages in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality (EMLM) converge at the Moutse Traffic Department in Dennilton. Their targets were the Department of Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure, the Office of the Premier, and Eskom.
For residents, the R25 is no longer just a road. It is a daily symbol of neglect and a barrier to services. The first memorandum condemns a “two-tier standard of road maintenance” along the route.
“We drive the same R25 that crosses into Mpumalanga and Gauteng. On their side, it’s a road. On our side, it’s a hazard. You cannot fix a provincial route with cement and a spade. That is not maintenance. That is disrespect,” one resident said.
The community rejects “unsuitable cement patching” and demands an immediate halt to all short-term fixes. Instead, they want a full reconstruction led by qualified engineers and contractors with heavy machinery.
Protest leader, Seun Mogotji, said the memorandum contains five core demands and a 7-day ultimatum for a written reply.
The reply must include detailed engineering plans, timelines, and full financial transparency.
“We want to see the budget. We want to see who got paid for what, and why the road is still collapsing. Without transparency, we are just pouring money into holes,” Mogotji said.
Framing it as a constitutional issue, residents say the road’s condition breaches obligations for sustainable service delivery, transparency, and accountable governance.
The fallout is wide, blocked access to clinics, schools, and markets, daily vehicle damage for taxi operators, spoiled produce for farmers, delayed emergency services, and heightened accident and crime risks along isolated stretches.
Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba and MEC for Public Works Ernest Rachoene were absent to receive the memorandums.
Mogotji stressed this was not acceptance of “indirect engagement.” He added: “We expect the people elected and appointed to lead this province to stand in front of us. This needs direct accountability.”
A second memorandum demands that Eskom and Minister of Electricity Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa immediately suspend and permanently remove Moutse from the load reduction schedule.
Residents call the inclusion “irrational, disproportionate, and not supported by a legitimate governmental purpose.” The memorandum states Moutse is mostly rural villages with underdeveloped infrastructure.
Many households still rely on firewood, and electricity use is “minimal, irregular, and largely confined to essential services” like lighting.
The memorandum invokes the Constitution and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA). It argues the decision is reviewable because it lacks a rational connection to Eskom’s purpose.
Residents say the action is unreasonable, procedurally unfair, and violates rights to equality, dignity, and accountable governance under Sections 9, 10, and 195 of the Constitution.
Community leader, Oupa Motau, said the memorandum shows frustration with policies that “disregard our lived realities”. He called the approach “unjust, unlawful, and unsustainable.”
Residents warned that if Eskom fails to act, they reserve the right to pursue legal remedies under PAJA to review and set aside the decision and compel reasons for it.
Eskom and the Ministry of Electricity had not publicly responded to the memorandum at the time of going to press.
