The violent protest in Hout Bay has forced the Community Day Centre (CDC) to shut its doors after workers could not access the area due to running battles between residents and police yesterday.
The announcement by the provincial Department of Health came as angry protesters took to the street for the second day to protest over the allocation of fishing rights and the delivery of basic services.
Health spokesperson Monique Johnstone said they had deployed the Hout Bay CDC staff to assist at other health-care centres in the southern area until the situation in Hout Bay had been managed.
Hout Bay Fishers Community Trust member Ikram Lamie said he had met police and City officials as the violence needed to end.
“I have been put in a very delicate situation as by speaking to the police I have angered the community, but there has been too much violence,” said Lamie.
The 14-year-old boy shot on Tuesday with a rubber bullet, allegedly by police, was recovering in hospital.
Lamie said officials from the City, police, provincial government and the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries were expected to meet Hangberg residents today in the Multipurpose centre.
Disgruntled fishers stormed the Foreshore offices of the department on Monday, demanding an immediate suspension of the West Coast Rock Lobster fishing rights allocation process.
In a statement yesterday, the department said it had not taken a decision on the total allowable catch (TAC) for West Coast Rock Lobster for the 2017-2018 fishing season.
“A consultative process is under way, which is based on a recommendation to reduce the TAC from the previous fishing season.
“This process is the normal one that is followed to determine the annual TAC, and it must be stressed that the recommendation does not constitute a decision,” read the statement.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said two cases of public violence had been opened and police would monitor the area.