Poo protests: ‘It can’t carry on’

Cape Town 130807- Poo protest on the N2. Picture Cindy waxa.Reporter Nonatndo.

Cape Town 130807- Poo protest on the N2. Picture Cindy waxa.Reporter Nonatndo.

Published Aug 8, 2013

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Cape Town - Cape Town’s poo protesters again caused havoc on the N2, forcing motorists travelling on the highway near Khayelitsha, just before the Mew Way exit, to a standstill on Wednesday.

This is the second time in less than two weeks that N2 traffic has been targeted.

A group of about 10 men and women flung faeces at passing vehicles at about 1pm. Some motorists swerved to avoid the protesters, who were standing in the road with portable loo containers full of human waste, jeering and shouting at the motorists to come out of their vehicles.

Other motorists turned back and drove against the traffic, while yet others braked to a halt.

The protesters forced a truck to stop and tried to intimidate the driver into blocking the road.

Several city law enforcement vehicles and police vans arrived on the scene within minutes, but the protesters had disappeared through a hole in the fence leading to an informal settlement nearby.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut said police would remain in the area.

The protesters told the Cape Argus team, which was on the way to another assignment and which encountered the protest, that they were not affiliated to the ANC or the ANC Youth League, which was responsible for the July 28 attack on the N2.

A statement they handed to the Cape Argus read: “We have taken a decision to destroy these toilets, we reject them. We have received threats from every corner in the community that some people are opposing this struggle and are going to deal with us accordingly, but we are not intimidated by those utterings.”

Provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa said the N2 was closed for about 45 minutes to allow officers to clear the highway.

“The rain… washed away the human waste. We are worried about the safety of the motorists. It can’t carry on like this,” said Africa.

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