Several roads were closed in Cape Town on Tuesday morning when protesters took to the streets to protest about the lack of service delivery in informal settlements.
The protest resulted in the closure of the R300 and N2 highways, with the City of Cape Town confirming that around 50 protesters were on the roadway.
#sapsWC #SAPS POP Unit members deployed to deal with service delivery #ProtestAction in Cape Town that has affected early morning traffic on the N2, Baden Powell Road, Mew Way, Hindle Road in Blue Downs, R300 and Somerset West. Baden Powell is closed #PoliceVisibility ME pic.twitter.com/yXjdNQKo7t
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) March 23, 2021
News24 quoted police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut as saying that officers had been deployed in Khayelitsha to police the protest action.
“The situation is being monitored to maintain law and order, and no one has been arrested as yet. Our members will remain in the area until tranquility has been restored.”
The protest action came after the Crime Intelligence in Western Cape warned in a statement on Monday that there was a planned shutdown by Intlungu Yasematyotyombeni Movement.
“Information received indicates that the Intlungu Yasematyotyombeni Movement are planning a total shutdown of all roads in informal settlements starting from Tuesday 2021-03-23 until Friday 2021-03-26.
“The reason for the shutdown is to demand water and temporary toilets in all new informal settlements…,” read part of the statement.
It said that the targeted roads included the N2, R300, Swartklip Road, Old Faure Road and other roads in the Dullah Omar Region, as well as areas such as Lange, Khayelitsha, Philippi, Nyanga and Mfuleni.
Several Capetonians took to social media on Tuesday:
@SakinaKamwendo situation in Khayelitsha , Cape Town remains volatile pic.twitter.com/Fmn8c5RPJR
— Noel (@crowieN) March 23, 2021
#Unrest Situation in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. #Protests all over. R300, N2. #copied 🇿🇦⚖️🔥 pic.twitter.com/8hzBz0nQfi
— Shabier Jacobs (@shabierja) March 23, 2021
So sick and tired of this. Work with CoCT to find a solution….but stop illegal land invasions and PAY for SERVICE delivery. Early morning protests close Cape Town roads https://t.co/NJGiESMuh3 via @news24
— Wendy Crause (@WendyCrause) March 23, 2021
Picture: Twitter