Pretoria – Two people have been transported to hospitals in Tshwane after being injured at violent service delivery protests in Soshanguve, north of the city, on Tuesday.
Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Thabo Charles Mabaso said the department had received reports of service protests in the morning along Doreen Street in the area after Rosslyn, in Soshanguve.
“It was reported to us around 10am that there were service protests with a vehicle on fire. We dispatched a fire truck and when they arrived, they found a light motor vehicle as well as a truck on fire,” Mabaso told IOL.
“The firefighters managed to extinguish that and once they had left to refill their vehicle, another vehicle, a truck was also reported to have been set alight. We had to dispatch additional resources.”
He said the Tshwane Emergency Services Department also received information about a bus being set alight.
“Two patients have been transported to hospital – one to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and one to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital. The patient transported to Steve Biko Academic Hospital suffered about third degree burns and was transported by Gauteng EMS (emergency medical services),” said Mabaso.
The man ferried by ambulance to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital had been assaulted at the scene and sustained “minor injuries”, he said, adding that the Tshwane Emergency Services Department had not yet received confirmation on what the protest was about.
“Law enforcement agencies are on the scene and our crews are working close with them to attend emergencies related to the protest,” Mabaso added.
IOL