Durban - Police used water cannons to disperse protesters at KwaMashu in the early hours of Friday morning, KwaZulu-Natal police said.
Spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said protesters began blockading Dumisani Makhaye Drive at about 2am.
“Police at KwaMashu were called out and were pelted with stones. Re-enforcements were called in and these thugs were dispersed using a water cannon,” he said.
It was not clear what the protest was about, but indications were that it was service delivery-related and over a lack of housing.
He said continued protests were putting a strain on the police's resources and diverting valuable resources from crime fighting to crowd control.
“Law abiding ratepayers from various communities in the province are also up in arms as these criminals are blocking roads to their neighbourhoods, damaging property and 1/8ratepayers 3/8 are requesting police to deal decisively with these violent criminals,” he said.
Durban has seen protests this past week in the Isipingo and Cato Crest areas over a lack of housing. On Monday a 17-year-old girl was shot and killed as two police officers, whose vehicle had been surrounded by protesters, fired live rounds to escape.
Sapa