Cape Town - Motorists were petrol bombed and stoned by protesters at the Siqalo informal settlement on Jakes Gerwel Drive on Tuesday morning.
Law Enforcement agencies closed off the road after two men were recorded burning tyres and then flinging burning petrol bombs at drivers; no cars were damaged.
According to a resident, the protest was led by only a few people who were angry after their illegal electricity wires were disconnected.
When cops arrived at the scene, the protesters disappeared in between the shacks.
Maxine Bezuidenhout, City spokesperson for Traffic Services, says Jakes Gerwel was closed between 9am and 1pm.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk says police attended the scene and remained on standby to prevent a flare-up.
He says no criminal cases or damages to property were reported at Philippi SAPS.
Resident Mthandeni Mazembe says the protest comes after three days of darkness at Siqalo.
“It is a few from Section A participating in the protest. It is not clear what exactly triggered such violent action about the electricity cuts, but we cannot run away from the fact that most of the community is affected by a lack of services.”
Phindile Maxithi, Mayco Member for Climate and Energy, condemned the violence and blamed criminals for the illegal connections.
“The City’s electricity infrastructure near or around the Siqalo informal settlement is regularly targeted with the ongoing theft, vandalism and illegal connections,” Maxithi says.
“The City is supplying some electricity and services to the Siqalo informal settlement on the periphery of the land as it is privately-owned.
“There are criminal syndicates operating in the areas that need high-level South African Police Service intervention.”
VIOLENT: Rioters attack cars. Video: Supplied