Johannesburg - A protest that turned into a looting spree by residents in Thembelihle, Lenasia was supposed to be peaceful march against a lack of service delivery, the DA said on Monday.
“A public meeting was called yesterday to discuss a peaceful march today, in order for their grievances to be heard,” Democratic Alliance councillor Nico de Jager said in a statement.
“However a small group of people did not adhere to the instructions of keeping the peace, and chaos erupted.”
This was according to one of the residents, De Jager said.
When police started firing rubber bullets and teargas, residents started looting shops “and doing as they please”, he said.
The purpose of the march was apparently to bring attention to residents' questions about housing issues, illegal electricity connections and portable toilets not being regularly drained, De Jager said.
Two people were arrested for stealing goods from a foreign-owned shop in the area, Gauteng police spokesman Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said.
Some residents had barricaded roads, while others went to loot foreign-owned shops.
“We have arrested two people who were caught in the act.”
He said the shop had been looted by residents in the area.
“They took a lot of things from the shops. They unfortunately fled the scene.”
Police had been monitoring the area from around 3am. No injuries had been reported and no property had been damaged, he said.
The two arrested would face charges of possession of stolen property.
Johannesburg metro police said earlier that residents barricaded the K43 road in the area with burning tyres. The road was closed between Volta Street and Nirvana Drive as protesters threw stones at passing cars, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said.
By 4pm, the streets had been cleared and traffic was moving again.
Sapa