Pretoria - The South African Police (SAPS) in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, working closely with their respective local Metro Police Departments, remain on high alert in response to incidents of violent protests in the two provinces over the weekend.
Protesters have been on the rampage across KwaZulu-Natal over the last two days causing damage worth millions of rand.
They are demanding the release of former president Jacob Zuma who is incarcerated at the Estcourt Correctional Centre.
According to reports, more than 30 trucks have been destroyed (either wholly burnt out or very badly damaged), whilst sections of the N3 near Mooi River are still being cleared up in an attempt to get some traffic flowing.
“We have small business owners who most probably have lost everything – their business, their vehicles, as well as the loads they were carrying. Their employees could very well face the ogre of unemployment.
“This, through no fault of their own – but solely due to the wanton and indiscriminate destruction by protesters,” said The Road Freight Association in a official statement.
Protests spread as far as Gauteng
Gauteng Police, working closely with the JMPD, on Saturday night responded to sporadic incidents of looting of businesses and barricading of roads in Jeppe and Alexandra, and arrested 25 suspects.
The mobilization in Jozi is on another level🙆♂️ Now I see why it's called the centre of a revolution.#GautengShutdown #KZNProtests #FreeZumaNow #ShutDownGauteng pic.twitter.com/IBFpVXD5Bu
— Moses Nkambako (@MosesNkambako) July 11, 2021
In the Jeppe policing precinct, police dispersed a group of about 300 people who had barricaded the M2 freeway.
It is alleged that one group then headed to the Jeppestown where they looted a number of businesses. Seven suspects were arrested, four of whom were found inside one of the stores.
In Alexandra, police arrested 18 suspects - 16 of them for public violence, also linked to the shooting of a police officer who was rushed to hospital for urgent medical attention.
🔴Thixo wase George Goch🔴
— The Insight Factor (@insightfactor) July 10, 2021
Video footage of protesters shutting down George Goch in Johannesburg. Streets shut down as protesters 🪧 continue calling for the release of Former President Jacob Zuma. Alexandra is also facing protest action #GautengShutdown #FreeJacobZuma pic.twitter.com/mgzZzsHfMd
This came after police responded to information of a group of people from Alexandra who targeted and forced entry into businesses, and started looting.
The group of about 800 people is reported to have attacked police resulting in the shooting of police officers who have now received medical attention.