Soweto quiet after morning protest, say metro police

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) said there was minimal disruption during the #SowetoShutdown protest on Tuesday morning. 

The Soweto electricity crisis committee, which mobilised for a strike, is calling for a stop to electricity cut-offs and load-shedding.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) said in a statement that the government and Eskom were not taking the electricity supply crisis seriously.

“Gauteng residents and the surrounding areas are undergoing disconnecting of electricity. Some areas in Gauteng have not been supplied with electricity for months and, in some cases, years,” Saftu said.

The union was due to hold a briefing at its Johannesburg headquarters on Tuesday morning.

Wayne Minnaar, JMPD spokesperson, said there were no reports of injuries, damage to property or violence.

“There is a group of about 50 people picketing on the corner of Chris Hani and Elias Motsoaledi roads. The other group of protesters started as early as 6am, and at about 7.40am they tried to block roads with rocks but the police managed to disperse them,” Minnaar said.

The police's Mavela Masondo said: “Roads are operating as normal after police cleared the protesters from the scene.”

Lehlogonolo Makhele, speaking on behalf of the Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee, said there was protest action in Orlando and Freedom Park on Tuesday which would be amped up in various areas on Wednesday.