Lesedi: 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.

According to South African Government News Agency, the protests resulted in the tragic loss of life and the torching of the Executive Mayor's property. SALGA emphasized that while communities have a constitutional right to protest and express dissatisfaction with service delivery, acts of violence, intimidation, arson, and other criminal activities are unacceptable in a democratic society. These actions endanger lives, destroy property, and undermine service delivery improvements sought by the communities.

SALGA continues to advocate for constructive engagement between municipalities and communities, urging residents to use established communication channels and public participation forums to voice their concerns. Municipalities are encouraged to prioritize transparent communication on service delivery challenges, planned interventions, and progress in addressing these issues.

The protests stemmed from community grievances over water outages in the area, reportedly linked to the throttling of bulk water supply by Rand Water, the water utility, as part of its credit control measures. SALGA called on various government entities to work together to swiftly resolve these community grievances.

SALGA stressed the need for calm and restraint from all parties to foster an environment conducive to dialogue and sustainable solutions. Sadly, reports indicate that two lives have already been lost due to the violent protests. SALGA conveyed its condolences to the families of the deceased and urged law enforcement agencies to investigate the deaths and criminal acts committed during the protests, ensuring accountability for those responsible.

Data from SALGA's Municipal Violence Incident Reporting System indicates over 400 incidents of threats, property damage, assaults, and deaths between 2000 and 2026. This highlights 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, addressing community concerns through dialogue, mutual respect, and lawful democratic processes.