
Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to protest-hit Alexandra township in the north of Johannesburg‚ where he promised residents housing‚ residents of Pennyville in Soweto on Friday embarked on their own protest‚ saying the same promises were made to them several years ago.
They claim that the government is yet to deliver.
Residents of Pennyville took to the streets to blockade the area’s main roads with burning tyres and debris.
@Radio702 Pennyville unrest N17 Closed pic.twitter.com/GlNxRXSkNQ
— Godfrey Malele (@MgodfreyGm) April 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/RTtraffic123/status/1116557874791010306
N17 SOWETO/PENNYVILLE PROTEST. pic.twitter.com/8adlQKuapP
— Kgabo wa le Sandawana (@wa_sundowns011) April 12, 2019
⚠️UPDATE : T3 and C6 buses are still being diverted via Riverlea. New Canada Station is currently unaccessible. We apologize for the inconvenience. ^TM pic.twitter.com/NwHY6uf36c
— Rea Vaya Bus Transit (@ReaVayaBus) April 12, 2019
Similar scenes played out in the northern parts of the province as residents of townships in Pretoria – specifically Soshanguve and Hammanskraal – also embarked on protests.
In Soshanguve‚ the protest action resulted in bloodshed. Protesters reportedly expressed displeasure at the police’s alleged use of force when they responded to alleged looting. Two protesters were reportedly killed and a police officer was injured.
The remnants of the #TshwaneShutdown yesterday…this is the Hebron Road in Soshanguve.
Was very dangerous driving through at night. Our people doing these to themselves 😞. Why mara?@iamthabomdluli @mabena_bob #PowerBreakfast @Powerfm987 @POWER987News pic.twitter.com/aACrFD2MYH
— Realeboga Mashiane®🇿🇦 (@Toscallo) April 12, 2019
Police commissioner Khehla Sitole has called for calm. “I call on the community of Soshanguve to be calm as public violence is no solution to any problem‚ but rather a crime which is punishable by law‚” said Sitole.
“A multidisciplinary task team‚ which includes crime intelligence and seasoned detectives‚ has been mobilised to investigate the attack on police‚ the death of the two protesters and the burning of the truck and private home.
“We have to bring those responsible to book as such behaviour is criminal and unacceptable.”
Meanwhile‚ in Steynsrus in the Free State‚ there were reports of trucks being set alight amid fresh service-delivery protests in the area.
Trucks set alight near Steynsrus in OFS last night! pic.twitter.com/CeGgFynE5Q
— lydia van der merwe (@DerLydia) April 12, 2019
The protests are believed to have started in Kroonstad before spreading to the Steynsrus.
Source: TMG Digital.