Thembalethu township in George remained on a knife edge last night after disgruntled residents took to the streets destroying property, stoning cars and looting delivery trucks.
Protesting residents from Mandela Village informal settlement, Lawaaikamp, Borcherds and Parkdene demanded basic services including toilets, water and electricity from the council.
Rubbish and burnt tyres were thrown into the road, resulting in the N2 between the Garden Route Mall and Pacaltsdorp being closed to traffic.
DA provincial leader and Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela called for calm.
“While we know that there are people with genuine concerns, we do not condone the kind of violence we’ve been seeing,” he said.
Madikizela said similar protests across the province targeted the province’s main transport routes in an attempt to destabilise the province and hurt the economy.
“This is extremely dangerous, as it directly threatens people’s jobs and livelihoods. Damage to public and private property only reverses progress made, and limits the province’s ability to continue making progress for the people.”
In Khayelitsha, protesting residents vandalised and set alight parts of the OR Tambo Indoor Hall on Tuesday night.
They continued yesterday, blocking off Mew Way and Japhta Masemola Road.
Police have opened a case of public violence.
It was the second time in three years that the hall had been burnt and vandalised, according to mayco member for Area East Anda Ntsodo.
“The City is still in the process of assessing the extent of the damage. An insurance claim has been made and assessors will determine the monetary value of the damage,” Ntsodo said, adding that repairs to the hall would be done once the insurance claim process had been completed.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the situation was under control.