Cape Town - Frustrated Kleinvlei residents near Blue Downs took to the streets yesterday in frustration over flood damage to their homes.
The residents said they had informed ward councillor Kariena Mare on Monday about the damages, before barricading roads with rubble and burning tyres yesterday.
The police had to intervene, and in videos shared widely on social media, adults and children stood around as the police spoke to two people.
A man wearing a blue jacket then pelted a rock at the City staffers wearing orange and black rain suits.
The police grab the man by his dreadlocks while rubber bullets are fired to disperse the crowd.
Mare said: “The protest was all about the floods, they told me about it and I reported it on Monday. According to them the relief didn’t come fast enough. But they also informed me that for the past two years, it’s been the same thing and they don’t get any assistance from the City.”
She explained that residents want their drainage system to be upgraded.
“Kleinvlei is previously City-owned houses and were then sold to the people.
“It’s semi-formal houses but the floods affected some formal houses. I couldn’t go to them this week because I have a family funeral in Gauteng, I will see them next week.
“There were people from the City to assist them. I want to meet with the community leaders and the people of road infrastructure and the subcouncil and we can pave the way forward.”
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said reports suggested that around 100 disgruntled community members of Keerom and Albert Philander Streets staged the service delivery protest near to the premises of Disaster Management. “The community members used burning tyres to barricade the road and in the process obstructing the normal flow of traffic. Integrated Law Enforcement agencies were deployed to the area to restore calm. Kleinvlei police registered a case of public violence for further investigation. We can confirm that no suspects have since been arrested.”
Cape Argus