Fewer protests in 2020, but that doesn't mean people are happier 15 January 2021 - 16:18 By TimesLIVE Protesters in Pomeroy, KZN, dug up a road in September last year as frustrations over water and electricity boiled over. According to Municipal IQ, 2020 saw a nine-year low in service delivery protests. Image: Supplied Though 2020 saw a nine-year low in service delivery protests, much of this can be attributed to lockdown months when public gatherings were outlawed and policing was rigorous to enforce the state of disaster regulations. The proportion of violent protests fell slightly in 2020 (evident in 75% of cases) against 78% in all years recorded since 2004.