Rustenburg - The N4 highway is closed in Dinokana, a town in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality near Zeerust in North West, due to a service delivery protest.
According to the North West department of community safety and transport management, residents of Ikageleng in Dinokana barricaded the highway linking South Africa and Botswana with tree branches complaining about a lack of water in their community.
"The N4, Dinokana is currently closed and road users are urged to use alternative routes. Law enforcement agencies are monitoring the situation," the department said in a statement.
Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari has pleaded with Dinokana residents to reopen the N4.
Lehari said while government respected the rights of community members to express themselves they should not infringe on the rights of others.
Meanwhile in a separate incident, 21 undocumented Zimbabweans were arrested in Swartruggens, North West, during a joint law enforcement operation on the N4 highway on Wednesday.
"Twenty males of various ages and a female used the Skilpadshek border to enter South Africa from Botswana," Lehari said.
With this incident in context, he encouraged people using South African ports of entry to hold legal travel documents to avoid any potential breaches with the law.
"With the world still in the middle of a pandemic, we cannot afford to take a chance. We know that these are our brothers and sisters but the law has to take its course."
He said law enforcement operations were conducted to encourage road users to obey rules.
"We have been conducting operations with the aim of encouraging road users to obey the rules. Anyone who is found to be on the wrong side of the law must be brought to book," he said.
IOL