Siyavuya Mzantsi
AS unrest waned in Dunoon yesterday following protests that forced several foreign shopkeepers to flee the area, violent protests and looting spread to Klipheuwel, where a group of angry residents damaged an ATM and electric cables.
Some Klipheuwel residents took to the streets and burnt tyres, barricaded the road with rubble and pelted passing cars with rocks. Residents were demanding electricity. The ATM was removed amid fears of petrol bombing.
Police confirmed that cases of public violence, housebreaking and theft were under investigation. No one was arrested. Officers were monitoring the area last night.
A Klipheuwel resident, who asked not to be named, said not much was taken from a shop where the owner had removed most of the stock on Friday.
He said the residents had been demanding electricity since 2013.
In Dunoon, pupils at Inkwenkwezi High School were sent home as teachers feared more violent protests.
While about 40 percent of Inkwenkwezi pupils had come to school, three other schools in the area had remained closed.
Pupils had been forced to stay out of school since Monday after violence erupted on Sunday night. Some residents had gone on the rampage, damaging a MyCiTi bus station and looting shops owned by foreigners.
Nine of 12 people arrested on Sunday night were released and warned to appear in court.
The other three are expected to appear in court today.
Some residents were not happy with the City’s feedback that there was no available land for Dunoon backyard dwellers to erect structures.
Inkwenkwezi High School principal Tembuxolo Kutu said teachers had discussed a catch-up plan as two days of teaching had been lost. “We had to send home the few pupils that came because we feared for their safety. We could not open on Monday because of the situation. We don’t know when this will end and we have a catch-up plan for the pupils,” Kutu said.
A Dunoon parent, Oyama George, said: “My two children are having to stay home because of this unfair action. Obviously this will have an impact on their education.
“Closing down schools won’t help address their demands. They must go to the right people.”
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said some schools had assessed the situation yesterday and should be fully functional this morning.
Education MEC Debbie Schäfer’s spokesperson, Jessica Shelver, said officials were working with the all schools’ management to ensure their catch-up plans were implemented.
“We have had reports that pupils are hungry and |traumatised. The WCED special needs team will be visiting the schools to assess and support pupils.”
Meanwhile, mayor Patricia de Lille is set to meet Dunoon community leaders next week.
Her spokesperson, Pierrinne Leukes, said De Lille’s talks with Dunoon elected representatives, including ward councillor Lubabalo Makeleni, was the beginning of talks to address concerns relating to service delivery.
“The mayor met elected representatives of Dunoon last night because we are all concerned by the violence.
“The population of Dunoon has grown significantly within the last few years. This has placed immense pressure on available resources.”