Municipality truck set alight at Kayamandi Sports Field. PHOTO: Courtney Williams
A municipality truck was set alight and store owners reported major loss and damage after a peaceful protest turned riot on Monday, 20, in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch.
Onlooker, Rodrick Titus, who had observed the demonstration said, “They were just creating chaos, but their main purpose behind it all was to loot.” A municipality truck stationed at the Kayamandi Sports Field was set alight around midday after which protesters attempted to storm Kayamandi Mall.
Captain Natalie Martin, Corporate Communications Officer at the Stellenbosch police station reports that only two vendors have reported loss and damages, a liquor store and Line Trading Clothing Shop. Furthermore, “Two arrests have been made for Public Violence,” said Martin.
Police investigate as distressed shop owner Leon Chen gives her account of what happened. PHOTO: Courtney Williams.
Line Trading Clothing Shop owner Leon Chen said, “They were so many. I was so scared. They took everything, all of it.” Tactical response team TSU was called as backup for the police who used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Bird Street was cordoned-off and traffic was diverted away from Kayamandi Bridge.
The protest was said to have been associated with the land evictions which occurred earlier that day in Azania, a subsidiary township within Kayamandi.
Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager of the Stellenbosch Municipality said, “On Monday 20 May 2019, the Municipality, with the assistance of the Red Ants, removed illegally erected structures that were erected over the weekend in the Kayamandi area.”
It has been an ongoing battle between residents of Azania and the Stellenbosch Municipality to come to an understanding resulting in a memorandum delivered to the Municipality. “The Municipal Manager responded to the community representatives within the required 7 day period and a meeting was held with community representatives on Thursday, 23 May 2019,” said Grobbelaar.
Armored police reinforcement arrive on the scene. PHOTO: Courtney Williams.
Activist Zukisa Xegwana said, “These people are living without water, without electricity, without anything. There is no service delivery here (Azania), so what do you expect? Then you see things like the Azania Uprising.”
“I won’t defend what happened on Monday and I am totally against it because it shifts the focus away from the real issue. In every struggle there will be hooligans. These people don’t even know why we are protesting, they just see an opportunity. But the people here are desperate, they’re struggling.”
“Stellenbosch can be shack-free if the Municipality starts doing their job. Over the last ten years, since the DA has taken over, there has been nothing done here. Our people are frustrated.”
The occupation of the new land in Azania is said to have been done illegally, “We cannot allow illegal structures as this leads to queue jumping which is unfair to all the residents and backyarders who have been on the waiting list.”
“Illegal occupation also places an undue burden on the taxpayer because the illegal occupants demand access to services. This is a situation the Municipality cannot allow to continue unabatedly. The Municipality acted in accordance with legislation, and will continue to monitor the situation,” said Grobberlaar.
An announcement will be made on the acquisition of new land at the next Council Meeting on Thursday, 28.
* This is a developing story