Police Minister Bheki Cele will meet fed-up Bonteheuwel residents after violence broke out during the total shutdown protest that brought the area to a standstill yesterday.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said eight people were arrested for public violence and public order police were deployed to various locations on the Cape Flats.
“Stun grenades and rubber bullets were fired in an effort to restore calm,” Potelwa said.
Residents of Bonteheuwel, Bellville, Bishop Lavis, Kensington and Ottery said they were protesting issues such as poverty, unprecedented levels of unemployment, violence and living in overcrowded communities due to lack of housing.
Following yesterday’s running battles, police announced that Cele and provincial commissioner Khombinkosi Jula will engage residents regarding the total shutdown protest in the Western Cape.
Mayco member for Safety, Security and Social Services JP Smith said around 350 protesters rallied in the illegal protest.
He added organisers did not make any application in terms of the Regulation of Gatherings Act (RGA).
“The ‘illegality’ is moot due to Constitutional Court ruling around RGA. The bigger problem is that road closures are not lawful and so protests organised by Cosatu are in having teargas shot at them (protesters) at one location, by SAPS which is controlled by national government, due to protests about the poor state of policing which is competency of national government,” Smith said.
Cosatu secretary Malvern de Bruyn hit back, saying: “The utterances by Smith, who says that his intelligence had told him that Cosatu is behind protest, is an indication of the ineptness of the government at the level of the city.
“Since Smith has been head of safety and security, deaths have risen and security has got worse. He is like a child that buys new toys, from ShotsSpotter to boats, but has no plan.”