Paramedics and truck drivers beaten in Thabazimbi protests

Two paramedics and five truck drivers are in hospital after they were assaulted by protesters near Thabazimbi‚ Limpopo police said on Thursday.

The incident happened along the Northam and Brits road on Wednesday night‚ said Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe.

"Two trucks and an ambulance were torched‚" Ngoepe said.

"Some truck drivers were forced to offload sand which they were transporting in the middle of this road‚ closing it for motorists to use."

The police had been called to the scene and had managed to calm the situation.

"The assaulted drivers were immediately taken to hospital for medical attention and some are still recuperating there‚" said Ngoepe.

"The estimated damage caused during this incident is over R3-million‚" he added.

Public Order Police had since been deployed to the scene and were monitoring the situation.

No arrests had been made.

On Wednesday‚ Minister of Transport Blade Nzimande issued a statement condemning the blocking of roads‚ and torching of public and private property by protesters in various areas of South Africa.

He referred to the protest action that affected traffic on the N3 Toll Route in both directions at Van Reenen’s Pass between Harrismith and the Tugela Toll Plaza near Ladysmith‚ the torching and looting of two cargo trucks and the blockading of the N2 between Mtubatuba and Hluhluwe in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal and also the blocking of the road using earthmovers by Ethekwini municipal workers at Springfield Park in Durban.

Meanwhile in Johannesburg‚ protesters burnt tyres‚ restricted travel between London Road and Marlboro‚ creating heavy backlogs from the Gillooly’s Interchange. In a separate incident on the R59 near Meyerton‚ protesters closed the road‚ protesting over housing.

"Any person who blocks roads and conducts a criminal act will be charged and prosecuted‚" said Nzimande.

He called on protest organisers to ensure that they use "government platforms of engagement provided by our Constitution and laws to raise their concerns on service delivery".

"I want to reiterate the government call that any legitimate concern that communities have‚ should be raised in a non-violent manner and in line with the laws of our country.

"Any criminal acts‚ in the form of violence‚ destruction of state and private property‚ looting and the blockading of the road under the pretext of service delivery protests‚ will not be tolerated‚" said the minister.