Road closures in Hanover Park, Bishop Lavis due to Total Shutdown protests

The shutdown organisers said picketing would take place in Bishop Lavis, Hanover Park, Bonteheuwel, Elsies River, Beacon Valley, Tafelsig, Khayelitsha and Paarl. File photo: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)

The shutdown organisers said picketing would take place in Bishop Lavis, Hanover Park, Bonteheuwel, Elsies River, Beacon Valley, Tafelsig, Khayelitsha and Paarl. File photo: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Sep 25, 2019

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Cape Town – The Total Shutdown movement's protests have led to road closures in Hanover Park and Bishop Lavis this morning, the City of Cape Town Traffic Service's Richard Coleman said.

"Due to protest action in Hanover Park we have got Hanover Park Avenue North closed from Downberg Road and Lonedowne Road West closed from Heinz Road. People blocking roadways.

"The same scenario for Bonteheuwel at Bluegum and Jakes Gerwel. SAPS and traffic officers on the scene.

"Taxi operators blocking Lavis Drive that is turning in from 35th Avenue Bishop Lavis. Buses denied entry and forced to turn around," said Coleman.

Coleman added at 8.15am that 35th Avenue, which had been closed from Robert Sobukwe Road due to a large group in the road at Lavis Drive, had been reopened both ways, after 35th Avenue south was also closed from Owen Road due to stone-throwing.

However, at 8.50am, Coleman said: "35th Avenue closed again both ways as requested by POPS (Public Order Policing Unit)."

Around 8am, Abdul Karriem Matthews, one of the organisers, posted on Facebook: "Colonel Botha of the Public Order Policing Unit has given us five minutes to disperse. This threat brings back memories of resistance and trauma of the 1985 uprising against apartheid."

Earlier, at Turfhall Road and Hanover Park Avenue, there were bricks in the road at the intersection going towards Belgravia Road, 1Second reported, with about six people protesting.

It was also reported that Lonedown Road in Hanover Park had been blocked off by burning tyres.

%%%twitter https://twitter.com/GroundUp_News?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GroundUp_News #totalshutdown pic.twitter.com/uPK6EdSfAA

— Ashraf Hendricks (@AshrafRSA)

The shutdown organisers said picketing would take place in Bishop Lavis, Hanover Park, Bonteheuwel, Elsies River, Beacon Valley, Tafelsig, Khayelitsha and Paarl.

Intersections at major arterial roads – such as the M7, Jakes Gerwel, the Stellenbosch Arterial and Valhalla Drive – will be targeted from 5am to 10am.

Two hours before the shutdown, Matthews, one of the organisers, posted on Facebook: "We will remain peaceful at all times. We do not advocate any form of violence. 

"We will allow the free movement of vehicles from before 5am and after 10am and guarantee the free movement at all times for emergency medical services and people with doctor's and hospital appointments.

"All we want is to live free from the fear instilled by the gangs, free from the bullets and the knives, free from abuse and rape. 

"We want an end to the War on the Cape Flats. Some suggest that we are impeding the rights of workers to go work. 

"As if the working class don't get robbed, stabbed, shot, raped and killed on the way to work. 

"Most people are in complete denial of the reality that there is War on the Flats waged by gangs who are in fact armed militias that terrorise working-class communities day and night.

"No political party has expressed support for the Total Shutdown. We are not surprised as we all know that they just want our votes. 

"NGOS such as Triangle Project, Unite Behind and WWMP have expressed their support and shown real solidarity. Most NGOs however are silent. 

"We don't expect any middle class area to come out in support with even a picket. This too is not a surprise as the war does not affect them. 

"After all, the apartheid government made sure the elite white areas are far from the Cape Flats and townships.

"We want permanent police base camps. We want permanent tactical response teams. We want the arrest and prosecution of all the gang leaders and drug lords

"Our demands are reasonable and after more than a year our pleas and tears remain unanswered by national government. This is why we going back to the streets."

Cape Times

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Protests