News24 | Cape Town housing protest: Five arrested, motorists warned to avoid blocked roads chaos

Some Dunoon residents in Cape Town set tyres alight and barricaded main roads during a protest, which entered its third day on Wednesday.

• Five people have been arrested in connection with violent protest action in Dunoon in Cape Town.
• The protest has caused significant traffic disruptions in the city.
• Dunoon residents took to the streets after the City of Cape Town demolished a brick structure in an informal settlement.

Five people have been arrested after Dunoon residents took to the streets, burning tyres and rubble, in response to the City of Cape Town demolishing illegal brick structures in the informal settlement.

Protest action entered the third day on Wednesday, as residents expressed their frustrations over housing in the area. Angry protesters closed the main thoroughfares, prompting the City of Cape Town to warn motorists to avoid Potsdam Road and Malibongwe Drive in Dunoon.

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Since Monday, protesters in the Ezihagwini informal settlement have blocked the roads, while some allegedly also threw stones at passing motorists.

Public transport vehicles have been unable to enter the area since Monday.

Kevin Jacobs, spokesperson for the City’s Traffic Services, said Malibongwe Drive had been closed in both directions between Rivergate and Potsdam roads due to protesters.

“Enforcement agencies are on scene, and motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternative routes,” he said.

City Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason added that as of Wednesday morning, there were no protesters on the scene and no tyres alight. However, officials remained stationed in the area.

“We have put measures into place to mitigate the protests and will maintain a presence until it has subsided,” he said.

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SAPS spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk said that members of Public Order Police had been deployed in the area since Monday following “protest action by disgruntled community members”.

“Their actions came as a result of dissatisfaction with the destruction of illegal structures. Reports suggested that a truck was damaged when community members pelted stones at the vehicle. No one sustained any injuries. Table View police registered a case of public violence for further investigation,” Van Wyk said.

He added that on Tuesday, five people - aged between 25 and 38 - had been arrested in connection with the unrest. They are due to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court once charged.

South African National Civic Organisation branch chairperson Sinethemba Matomela said the situation in the area was “terrible”. He added that residents had vowed to continue protesting until officials came to explain why the structures, which were reportedly erected four years ago, were demolished.

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The area has experienced several shack fires in recent years, which has prompted some residents to build brick structures for safety.

Matomela explained that a resident had built a brick-and-cement home on the edge of the road and was living in it when it was demolished. He added that residents claimed that no notices had been issued.

“Residents say the City just demolished the structure,” he said.

“The community say it feels unfair. They feel threatened, and they fear it will happen to move residents.”

Mayco Member for Human Settlements Carl Pophaim confirmed that the City’s Anti-Land Invasion Unit had demolished brick and mortar walls being illegally erected after inspection by the Building Control Inspectorate.

He referred News24 to Law Enforcement for more details.

Dyason said that “three walls that were built unlawfully with brick and mortar were demolished” earlier in the week. However, he added, no structures had been demolished during the operation.

“The ‘walls’ were not occupied, and the action was carried out in terms of a final court order. The walls were identified by City officials, and the owners were served notices to remove the walls, but they failed to comply. This is a land invasion site, and any person intending to build should be authorised by the landowner,” he added.

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Dyason said the owners of these walls had not submitted building plans for approval to the local authority.

“The residents were consulted and informed about their unlawful conduct and their contravention of the High Court order. Hence, they were issued with compliance notices.”