Burning tyres cause traffic snarl-up in Durban

Durban Metro police and fire services removed a barricade of burning tyres from a busy highway on Friday morning.

Senior superintendent Parboo Sewpersad said police were alerted to the burning barricade on the Durban-bound carriageway of the N3 at the EB Cloete interchange.

“There were no protesters‚ only the tyres. Our members moved quickly to remove it and traffic is proceeding slowly.”

However‚ Visvin Reddy‚ national convener of People Against Petrol and Paraffin Price Increases (Pappi)‚ which planned to have a Durban shutdown on Friday to protest against a massive fuel increase in October‚ said “unexpected outrage” was behind the burning tyres.

“We underestimated the anger of some people who set alight tyres and we had to talk to them to stop this. Pappi wants to demonstrate our protest‚ but we don’t want to endanger any lives.”

He said instead they would be forming a human chain to stop traffic on the M4 near Durban’s Blue Lagoon.

“We don’t have permission and know that we could be arrested‚ but we are willing to make that sacrifice.”