Protest over workers on Gugs road

Fee bearing image – Cape Town – 150126 – Gugulethu residents burned tyres as part of a Roadworks Protest in Klipfontein Road. Photographer: Armand Hough

Fee bearing image – Cape Town – 150126 – Gugulethu residents burned tyres as part of a Roadworks Protest in Klipfontein Road. Photographer: Armand Hough

Published Jan 27, 2015

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Police were called to restore calm after a group of 40 people blockaded construction on Klipfontein Road in Gugulethu by burning tyres, dumping rubble and placing large rocks on the road.

The protest started in the early hours of Monday after some residents said they were unhappy that workers employed for the road construction were from outside the area, said ward councillor Mzawakhe Nqavashe.

“The construction has stopped and will resume on Tuesday. The problem is that a number of people were not happy with the people employed to do construction. We followed proper procedures, but the problem there was miscommunication in community structures.”

Nqavashe said it was announced last year that there would be construction on the road, but many residents failed to attend the meeting where plans for construction were outlined.

A meeting to address the residents’ concerns was called on Monday afternoon.

“When I visited the area earlier in the morning, I answered most of their questions,” said Nqavashe.

“They were saying that some of the people working there were from Khayelitsha. That was not the case. I will also address them in a meeting later today.

“There are 10 people working there, but this number will increase to 20 as time goes on.”

Police spokeswoman Noloyiso Rwexana said at about 6am, about 40 people had gathered to burn tyres at NY 108 in Gugulethu.

She said the police were on the scene to monitor the situation and no one was arrested.

City of Cape Town Traffic Services spokeswoman Maxine Jordaan said the road was closed for about an hour.

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Cape Times

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