Cape Town - A 21-year-old man died after a taxi ploughed into a crowd during protest action on Wednesday night near the intersection of Jakes Gerwel Drive and the R300 near Mitchells Plain, City of Cape Town officials and police have said.
Cellphone video footage of the moment when the taxi hit the man was shared widely on social media.
Philippi police have opened a case of culpable homicide.
Police say that shots fired from the Colorado side of the road injured two people aged 51 and 36. Cases of attempted murder were opened for investigation.
Officers used rubber bullets and stun-grenades to disperse protesters after live rounds were fired.
[WARNING: Graphic video and foul language]
Video: Supplied
Video: Supplied
The protest, which started in the early hours of Wednesday morning, saw an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) at a petrol station set alight, as well as a fruit and veg stall and a vehicle. The protests also saw a number of vehicles pelted with stones, traffic lights were also damaged and an amapela taxi stoned, officials said.
About 500 protesters from the Siqalo informal settlement next to Jakes Gerwel Drive in Mitchells Plain blocked roads with burning tyres and two huge shipping containers. The protesters are demanding services in the informal settlement, while the City of Cape Town says it cannot provide services on privately-owned land.
Clashes broke out between the protesting Siqalo residents and residents of Highlands in Mitchells Plain as well as with police.
Thirty people were arrested by the police's Public Order Police (POPS) unit.
Read more:
Several roads in and around Mitchell’s Plain were closed on Wednesday morning due to the protest action. According to City officials, Jakes Gerwel Drive was closed between the R300 and Highlands Drive, while other road closures included key arteries Weltevreden and Morgenster, and Varkensvlei roads, as well as Highlands and Fulan.
Some of the major routes were reopened on Wednesday afternoon but officials said after 8pm that the roads were closed again, with Vanguard Drive blocked off from traffic going out of Mitchell's Plain due to residents forming a chain in front of Highlands Drive.
