DURBAN - A metro police officer was rushed to hospital on Saturday morning after being struck with a rock on her head during violent service delivery protests in Inanda.
The protests were taking place on the M25 highway near the Dube Village. A 37-year-old female police officer, who cannot be named as her family is yet to be informed about the incident, was rushed to St Augustine's hospital.
Metro Police spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad, said the officer, who is a member of the public order policing unit within the metro police, was being stabilised at hospital.
“She is in a stable condition and she could be discharged later today (Sat) according to the report we received from the hospital,” he said.
A group of about 150 Dube Village residents blocked the highway, burnt tyres and threw stones at the police demanding service delivery of houses, water and electricity from eThekwini Municipality.
Sewpersad said a joint operation Public Order Police (POP) Unit from Metro Police and South African Police Services had been monitoring the situation when the protesters became violent and started to throw rocks at the police.
Police fired rubber bullets and used water cannon and pepper spray to disperse unruly demonstrators. See videos below.
A METRO Police public order officer was rushed to hospital after she was hit on the head by a rock during violent service delivery protest on the M25 highway near Dube Village, in Inanda on Saturday morning.
A METRO Police public order officer was rushed to hospital after she was hit on the head by a rock during violent service delivery protest on the M25 highway near Dube Village, in Inanda on Saturday morning.
A METRO Police public order officer was rushed to hospital after she was hit on the head by a rock during violent service delivery protest on the M25 highway near Dube Village, in Inanda on Saturday morning.
"They also try to burn police van with a petrol bomb but police avoided the situation. Protesters became violent and started to throw stones at the police. No arrest was made on the scene,” he said.
Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane, confirmed the incident but said no case has been open as yet.
"Members from the POP Unit are still on the scene monitoring the situation,” said Zwane.