Protests by 'marginalised' Gauteng residents mostly calm - police

Residents of Westbury protested outside the Sophiatown police station earlier this week. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)

Residents of Westbury protested outside the Sophiatown police station earlier this week. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Oct 5, 2018

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Johannesburg - The police on Friday said some predominantly coloured areas in Gauteng where protests had been planned against “marginalisation and neglect” were mostly calm.

“The situation is calm at  Ennerdale, no violence at this stage and no arrests have been made,” police spokesperson Kay Makhubele said. He said no property damage had been reported and more police had been deployed in affected areas where residents were burning tyres and blocking roads.

The protests planned for Ennerdale, Eldorado Park, Lenasia and other coloured areas erupted a day after calm was restored in Westbury.

Residents of Westbury had been involved in running battles with the police for several days in protest against shootings and other crimes blamed on drug dealers in the area. The also accused officers from the Sophiatown Police Station of being in cahoots with criminals in Westbury.

They were burning tyres and blocking roads as part of a planned shutdown in parts of Gauteng.

Residents of affected areas complained of rampant drug abuse, gun crime and the lack of police action to tackle the problems, which have been linked to joblessness among the youth.

African News Agency/ANA

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