Petrol bombs and teargas fly as Hout Bay residents protest

Cape Town police and City of Cape Town law enforcement officials are engaged in running battles with protesters in Hout Bay.

Public order policing officers claim protesters in the Hangberg community used live ammunition against them after they moved in to disperse protesters who blocked roads to the busy harbour‚ a tourist draw card‚ with burning rubble in protests which started over fishing rights allocations. Protesters denied that they had firearms and accused the police of brutality.

The City of Cape Town deployed all of its available law enforcement officers and a water cannon to bolster the public order policing forces on the scene.

Protesters clashed with police‚ petrol bombing Nyalas which was met with rubber bullets‚ tear gas‚ and stun grenades.

Earlier boats fled the harbour as protesters stormed it‚ stealing flares from boats which were used against the police. Tourists visiting shops and restaurants at the harbour were reportedly led to safety along the beach. The situation was tense at the time of publication.

When TimesLIVE arrived there were at least 50 people on the frontline battling police while other residents hung back‚ throwing petrol bombs.

The protests began with unhappiness over fishing allocations but residents who spoke to TimesLIVE said there were numerous issues in the area. Some were unhappy about the closure of factories‚ leading to unemployment‚ while others said they were unhappy about service delivery.