N2 opens after being shut by service delivery protests

29 March 2016 - 13:59
By Matthew Savides
open road picture credit: iStock
open road picture credit: iStock

The main highway that links Durban to northern KwaZulu-Natal was closed for about three hours on Tuesday morning due to violent service delivery protests.

The protests erupted shortly after 5.30am‚ and resulted in the closure of the northbound carriageway of the N2 freeway near Mandeni‚ said KZN Road Traffic Inspectorate spokeswoman Zinhle Mngomezulu.

 The southbound carriageway was also affected‚ as was the R102‚ which links the N2 and Zululand.

“Both roads are now open after SAPS went there and dispersed the crowd‚” she said.

IPSS Medical Rescue’s Paul Herbst said that the roads were “completely” closed due to burning tyres and other debris that there used by protesting residents.

 The freeway and the R102 arterial road were both reopened shortly before 9am.

It is unclear if any arrests were made.