Nine suspects arrested following protest action on N2/R300

Nine suspects were arrested following the protest action that occurred since Tuesday.

It’s believed that a group by the name of Intlungu Yasematoytoymbeni movement are demanding water and temporary toilets in all new informal settlements. The movement, in a statement said that they also want to share their unhappiness about alleged threats made by the City of Cape Town to evict land invaders.

Two arrests were made in Kraaifontein on Wednesday. Seven arrests were made the following day, six of those were in Delft and one in Kraaifontein.

The suspects have been charged with public violence and are expected to appear in the Blue Downs magistrate’s court soon.

The Western Cape’s Community Safety MEC, Albert Fritz, says the Court Watching Brief Unit will be requested to monitor these cases for any SAPS inefficiencies, resulting in the case being struck off the court roll.

Fritz welcomed the arrests.

“I welcome the arrests made as they send a strong message to anybody wishing to destabilise the province through violent protest action. Let me be clear that citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, whatever the issue may be but when these protest actions become a pretext for violence and blatant criminality they cannot then be hidden behind the notion of unhappiness with service delivery.”

The MEC claims the protests are politically motivated.

“In fact, based on information that we have received, the real intention behind these so-called service delivery protests is to destabilise communities, and are politically motivated. These actions actually halt the crucial services into those affected communities including sanitation, education, healthcare and transport which our citizens dependent on.” Fritz added.

“The modus operandi is to wear SAPS’ resources thin by appearing sporadically in different locations. I was however pleased to hear this morning that all roads including the N2, Hindle Way, Mew Way and other affected roads were clear,” said MEC Fritz.

 

Done By: Mitchum George