Rubber bullets fired at Grabouw protesters

Cape Town 140915- Police officer standing next to the N2 during a srvice delivery protest in Grabow. Picture Cindy waxa.Reporter Murray/Argus

Cape Town 140915- Police officer standing next to the N2 during a srvice delivery protest in Grabow. Picture Cindy waxa.Reporter Murray/Argus

Published Sep 16, 2014

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Grabouw - Members of the public order policing unit fired rubber bullets at protesters in Grabouw .

A group of about 100 protesters moved across a division onto the N2 and started moving closer to the police cordon. Then they began throwing stones at police.

Police responded by firing rubber bullets and the crowd fled into the township of Slang Park.

Police set up a vantage point on the division and continued firing at the crowd.

There were also reports that more protesters had gathered at Ou Kaapse Weg and were toyi-toying while police kept a close watch.

The North Pineview entrance to Grabouw has been closed again and traffic was starting to back up in the direction of Gordon's Bay.

Thirteen people were arrested for looting spaza shops during the protests.

Protesters have also made several attempts to break into the U-Save supermarket on Gaffley Street, said Lt Raldene Atson.

Police have been working with a private security company at U-Save which has become a regular target during riots in Grabouw.

Earlier residents claimed that the popular Moonlight Cafe in Melrose Place had been “totally stripped”. The gate and fence in front of that shop had also been stolen.

Some protesters lined the N2 on the barrier next to the Slangpark township. Smoke could be seen rising in the area between Slangpark and Melrose Place.

Atson said the smoke came from tyres being burnt in an effort to barricade the road close to the Pineview Primary School.

Some protesters have also approached the police cordon close to the Orchards Farm Stall on the N2 to see if they can find a way through.

All schools in Grabouw have been closed.

Atson said the town was relatively quiet by mid-morning and traffic was being allowed through the Pineview North turnoff and Ou Kaapse Weg.

An SA National Roads Agency official, Wonder Mpofu, said he was waiting for a truck and digger loader to be on standby to clear the N2 of rocks and rubble as soon as the police gave the go ahead.

On Monday protesters marched to the municipal offices in Pineview to hand over a memorandum listing their grievances.

Grievances included in the memorandum were a lack of housing, poor and expensive electricity supply and bad road conditions.

- Sapa

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