Tyres were set alight at 18:00 on 4 August at the entrance of Kayamandi next to the taxi rank on the R304 in Koelenhof Road. This was according to captain Nathalie Martin, communications officer at the South African Police Services (SAPS) Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Mia van der Merwe
Recent unrest in Kayamandi resulted in the arrest of two perpetrators, said captain Nathalie Martin, communications officer at the South African Police Services (SAPS) Stellenbosch.
It is believed that the unrest could have been linked to the on-going taxi protests around the Western Cape, according to a tweet sent out by Stellenbosch Municipality.
The incident in Kayamandi occurred on 4 August, said Martin. Tensions escalated when, at around 18:00, a group of about 50 demonstrators set tires alight, she said.
Due to loadshedding being implemented at the time of the unrest, the majority of the perpetrators remain unidentified, she explained.
The apprehended perpetrators were arrested for public violence, stated Martin.
Recent unrest in Kayamandi resulted in the arrest of two perpetrators, said captain Nathalie Martin, communications officer at the South African Police Services (SAPS) Stellenbosch.
It is believed that the unrest could have been linked to the on-going taxi protests around the Western Cape, according to a tweet sent out by Stellenbosch Municipality.
The incident in Kayamandi occurred on 4 August, said Martin. Tensions escalated when, at around 18:00, a group of about 50 demonstrators set tires alight, she said.
Due to loadshedding being implemented at the time of the unrest, the majority of the perpetrators remain unidentified, she explained.
The apprehended perpetrators were arrested for public violence, stated Martin.
Stellenbosch Fire and Rescue were called to Kayamandi three times on the evening of 4 August, following unrest at the entrance to Kayamandi. This was confirmed by Tasso Steyn, assistant fire chief at Stellenbosch fire and rescue. PHOTO: Mia van der Merwe
What happened?
SAPS and law enforcement units blocked off sections of Bird Street and Koelenhof Street on the R304 at the entrance of Kayamandi due to the unrest, stated Martin.
Stellenbosch Fire and Rescue were called to the scene three times, said Tasso Steyn, assistant fire chief. They were called at 18:00, again at 22:30 and 23:53. Each visit took about 30 minutes, he added.
“About 50 people threw stones at the oncoming vehicles,” said Martin.
Several cases of property damage to cars have been opened, she stated.
At 21:02 Stellenbosch Municipality released a statement referring to the unrest as “isolated incidents of sporadic lawlessness by a small group of people in Kayamandi as part of the taxi protest.” This was according to a tweet sent out by the municipality.
However, SAPS could not confirm that the unrest is related to the Western Cape taxi protest, according to Martin.
The group dispersed around midnight after the police had taken action against the unrest by “dispersing stun grenades and teargas”, said Martin. No injuries were sustained, confirmed Martin.
Residents are struggling with transport among the taxi strike and unrestful protests, said Elizabeth Mahlanze, a resident in Kayamandi. “I struggled to get home because there was no transport for us and one of my friends didn’t go to work on Thursday because there is no transport,” she added. PHOTO Mia van der Merwe
Residents feel unsafe
“This unrest is causing a lot of havoc [and] fear to the residents,” said Elizabeth Mahlanze, a resident in Kayamandi, following unrest there on the evening of 4 August.
“There was shooting [by the police] in Kayamandi until around midnight and [there was] tear gas all over,” stated Mahlanze.
Mahlanze worked on Friday night and struggled to get home because of the lack of transport, she said.
SMF News reached out to South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) for comment but they did not respond at the time of publication.
The South African Police Services (SAPS) cannot confirm whether recent unrest in Kayamandi is taxi-related or not, said captain Nathalie Martin, communications officer at SAPS Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Mia van der Merwe