Cape Flats Protests Will Continue

Cape Flats service delivery protests will continue

Friday 10 August 2012 17:30

SABC

Protesters in the Cape Flats are demanding houses.(SABC)

TAGS:

• Service delivery protests
• Cape Flats
• Kanana
• arcelona informal settlement
• Nyanga
• Klipfontein Road
• SAPS
• Cape Town International Airport
• Cape Town
• Wilfred Solomons Johannes

Residents of the Kanana, Europe and Barcelona informal settlements in Nyanga on the Cape Flats have vowed to continue with the protest until their demands are met. They have been violently protesting since early this morning, demanding houses. Sixty-two people have been arrested so far. They blocked the N2 earlier but it's now been cleared. 

Residents say  they have been in the area since 1993, waiting for houses. They say they have staged many marches and even handed over a memorandum, but it seems as if "our area is not budgeted for development."
 

The protests turned violent when protesters burned tyres on the Klipfontein Road and flung petrol bombs at police.

Meanwhile, Cape Town Mayor, Patricia De Lille, has again blamed the ANC youth league for organising today's protest action. De Lille says they can't interact with the communities because of the disruptions caused by the youth league.

Police earlier fired stun grenades at residents along the N2 near Cape Town International Airport to help calm the situation. Police are still maintaining a heavy presence in the area. 

The protest action on the N2 outside Cape Town International Airport became volatile this morning when the demonstrators flung petrol bombs at police officers.

Disaster Management spokesperson, Wilfred Solomons-Johannes says: "The protest action on the N2 outside Cape Town International Airport became volatile this morning when the demonstrators flung petrol bombs at police officers.

The SAPS and the City's law enforcement agencies retaliated to the unruly protestors and they dispersed by running in between shacks."

Meanwhile, there are traffic delays on the N2 following the closure of a section of the highway near Nyanga, only one lane is open to traffic. Traffic in and out of Cape Town has been disrupted. 

A number of roads around the Cape town International Airport have been closed. motorists are being diverted to use alternative routes in the City Centre.