Johannesburg - The police stand-off with Thembelihle informal settlement residents went on for hours on Thursday, after the flames of discord were reignited by a shooting incident.
Dozens of police vehicles and officers were summoned to the settlement from the early hours because two people in the area had been shot, allegedly by a resident of neighbouring Lenasia.
On Wednesday night, residents had arrived in Lenasia to burn down electricity boxes as part of recent service delivery protests in the informal settlement.
Police spokesman Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said a man who owned the property next to one of the targeted boxes allegedly began shooting at the crowd.
Two protesters were wounded and the man who had opened fire was arrested on an attempted murder charge.
Meanwhile one of the victims, who was shot during the confrontation, died in hospital, police said.
“We got the information that the man died in hospital. The situation is calm this morning,” Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said.
“Earlier this morning [Friday] there was a group of people who wanted to try and come back into the streets but did not when they saw the police. The police will remain in the area.”
On Thurday morning, dozens of protesters began blocking the K43 roadway that separates Lenasia and Thembelihle, throwing rocks and other objects at passing cars.
Police, who believed it was a revenge attack, dispersed the crowd for a few hours with rubber bullets and teargas, forcing the groups to retreat into the settlement.
However, at about 9am, another group returned, reportedly marching to a nearby school and recruiting school children to join in the protest.
This included two young pupils who were spotted firing slingshots at the police.
About then, one of the groups went to the home of the man who had fired on the protesters the night before.
The crowd threw debris at the house and, finally, a petrol bomb.
Police dispersed the crowd, and back-up was summoned to stop the hundreds of protesters who had gathered.
Meanwhile, the family who lived in the house were seen vacating the premises for their own safety.
By noon, police were patrolling the settlement on foot, with many of the protesters making rude gestures, throwing rocks and bottles at the approaching officers.
Some used rusted corrugated iron as makeshift shields to thwart the rubber bullets.
No one was injured, but the patrolling officers arrested 20 people for public violence before 2pm, and the road was reopened.
The ward councillor for the neighbouring area, Abdia Benni, said she had tried to call a meeting with the Thembelihle leaders at about 11am, but because of the arrests, the plan had fallen through.
Mohamed Bulbulia, the co-founder of community organisation Active Citizenry, said Lenasia community leaders had tried to meet Thembelihle residents throughout the week, but these plans had failed.
He said Lenasia residents feared for their safety, and that the protesters had gone too far in recruiting school children to join the protest.
“One person did something,” said Bulbulia, referring to the shooting, “they can’t hold the whole community hostage.”
Makhubela said the police would continue to monitor the area.
On Monday, residents had taken to the streets to demand improved electricity and sanitation in their area.
The Star and Sapa