Durban - About 200 service delivery protesters closed of the M1 Bayview on Friday morning burning tyres and debris demanding houses.
According to metro police spokesperson Parbhoo Sewpersad the protests began at around 4am.
"Both carriageways of the M1 Bayview had been closed for about 3 hours. Protesters from the Summerfield informal settlement began burning tyres and debris early this morning. Access in and out of Chatsworth was blocked off and has just been re-opened to traffic," said Sewpersadh.
He said Metro police and public order police arrived on scene to find total chaos.
Video: About 200 protesters demanded housing.
Supplied
"They managed to negotiate with protesters and the roadway has just been opened. However we are urging motorists to proceed with extreme caution and to follow instructions of police officers."
He said there was still debris on the road and protesters were still at the scene.
Sewpersadh said motorists could also use alternative routes Umhlatuzana and the Shallcross/Pinetown area.
Last month two two Durban metro police officers who were assaulted with bricks during a service delivery protest.
Sewpersad said they were protesting over electricity.
Service delivery protests left the M1 in Chatsworth closed off to traffic.
Pictures: Supplied
"Half of the shack dwellers had access to electricity while some didn't. They began protesting and burnt a transformer and tyres."
Cedric Masondo, managing director of Sasria SOC Ltd, a short-term insurer said South Africa faces the risk of being enslaved by poverty, if service delivery protests do not come to an end.
“But something drastic needs to be done. While protest action is enshrined in our Constitution and people have the right to assemble and voice their grievances, the culture of violent protests must come to an end," said Masondo.
"If not, we will remain trapped in a cycle of poverty that never ends, because we are spending our resources on fixing the same things over and over again. This is not progress, this is not conducive to economic growth.”