‘Hit-and-run’ protest costs Cape Town

Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said law enforcement and fire services had been called to Nyanga early Monday morning after receiving reports that protesters were dragging burning tyres on to Govan Mbeki Street and blocking traffic. Photo: Reuters

Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said law enforcement and fire services had been called to Nyanga early Monday morning after receiving reports that protesters were dragging burning tyres on to Govan Mbeki Street and blocking traffic. Photo: Reuters

Published Aug 24, 2015

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Cape Town - Protests in Nyanga will cost the city hundreds of thousands of rands in damages after tyres and debris were set alight and scattered in the streets on Monday morning.

It was the latest attack on vital infrastructure following a violent weekend, which began with the burning of an electrical substation in Durbanville on Friday night.

Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said law enforcement and fire services had been called to Nyanga early Monday morning after receiving reports that protesters were dragging burning tyres on to Govan Mbeki Street and blocking traffic. When authorities arrived there was no sign of the protesters. Smith said it was not clear what had motivated the attack. “This was a hit and run disruption.”

The burning debris had melted holes in the tar which will cost the city up to R100 000 each to patch up, said Smith. It’s another blow for the City of Cape Town after protesters set fire to an electrical substation in Durbanville on Friday night.

Residents from the Klipheuwel township set fire to the substation, plunging that section of Durbanville into darkness.

Police had not yet responded to the Cape Argus’s queries at the time of going to print.

Cape Argus

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