Grabouw protesters burn down fire station

Grabouw was dotted with plumes of smoke yesterday as the town outside Cape Town was beset by protests for a third consecutive day.

Angry members of the community vented their frustrations by blocking the roads with boulders and broken lampposts after burning down the fire station in the early hours of the morning.

At midday the usually busy Sir Lowry's Pass was quiet as police blockaded the N2.

The protesters, mostly teens, taunted police by throwing rocks and swearing at them.

"Gooi hom!" one shouted as they targeted police.

"Ons wil hulle hê,"shouted the crowd, pointing at the police.

Police fired back with rubber bullets and teargas.

An hour later the SAPS entered the township and used a water cannon containing blue dye when the crowd refused to disperse.

The fire station was smouldering. Equipment was destroyed and windows were shattered.

Grabouw Civic Association secretary Margaret le Roux said the protesters were part of a "third force".

"We are not part of the violence. We are really sad about what is happening," she said.

Le Roux said Grabouw's residents "had been treated unfairly by the mayor" Chris Punt.

"We told the mayor he's the only one who can put a stop to this," Le Roux said.

She said Punt had arrived late for a meeting yesterday morning.

"We could not come to an agreement."

SAPS spokesman Thembinkosi Kinana said the protests were a continuation of the action that started on Monday.

"We've been telling people all along that it's important to negotiate," he said.