Truck burnt, roads blockaded in Cape Town as violent protests continue

A truck was set alight and several roads were blocked with burning tyres in Cape Town on Monday afternoon.

City of Cape Town traffic spokesperson Maxine Bezuidenhout said roads were closed on Potsdam Road, and closed in both directions between Malibongwe Drive and Killarney Avenue. Protest action was also reported on Prince George Drive and Vrygrond Road.

Bezuidenhout said the protests started because of law enforcement demolishing illegal structures.

On Saturday morning, residents from the townships of Dunoon and Joe Slovo stoned cars and set alight a MyCiTi bus.

The mayoral committee member for transport, Felicity Purchase, said the Phoenix MyCiTi station was vandalised, looted and set alight during Friday’s unrest, which also saw the N7 closed several times as stones rained down on vehicles.

Purchase said repairs to MyCiTi infrastructure would cost millions of rands and take months to complete.

Mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said the unrest started earlier in the week after traffic officers cracked down on taxis.