{"id":297498,"date":"2026-04-23T15:41:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T13:41:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/?p=297498"},"modified":"2026-04-23T15:41:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T13:41:26","slug":"residents-of-housing-units-in-virginia-take-to-the-streets-to-demand-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/residents-of-housing-units-in-virginia-take-to-the-streets-to-demand-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Residents of housing units in Virginia take to the streets to demand services"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Residents of the Merriespruit 3 Complex, known as Nkandla in Virginia, have issued a legal demand to the Matjhabeng Local Municipality for the immediate restoration of water and electricity services.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Wednesday 15 April more than 100 residents of these housing units gathered to protest and demand the immediate restoration of services.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The social housing development accommodates more than 1 800 residents, including women, children, persons living with disabilities and pensioners. The complex also houses a pre-school.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The municipality disconnected both water and electricity supply to the entire complex approximately seven weeks ago.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A legal letter demands that the municipality immediately restore water and electricity services, ensure sanitation systems are restored to a safe standard, and provide written confirmation within seven days that services have been fully restored.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The letter warns that failure to comply with the demands within seven days will result in urgent legal proceedings in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.judiciary.org.za\/index.php\/judiciary\/directives\/high-court-of-south-africa\/free-state-division-of-the-high-court\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Free State High Court<\/a>, including an application for a spoliation order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ALSO READ<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/services-in-matjhabeng-local-municipality-falling-short\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Services in Matjhabeng Local Municipality falling short<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Matjhabeng Local Municipality disconnected both water and electricity supply to the entire complex approximately seven weeks 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Welkom Public Order Policing (POP) swiftly responded to protest action near New Shaft in Virginia on Wednesday 15 April. A group of approximately 100 community members took to the street. 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