Police officer injured, 25 arrested in day of protests in Western Cape

Police were on high alert on Monday following shutdown threats posed by “Gatvol Capetonians” and violent protests around mass land invasions.

One officer was injured in the face during a tense skirmish in the West Coast town of Mamre, where police faced off with 200 protesters on Monday.

Police resources were stretched in Cape Town and several other municipalities as protesters barricaded roads with burning tyres and rubbish.

According to Western Cape police spokesperson Brig Novella Potelwa, protesters gathered on Monday morning in:

• Cloetesville in the Cape Winelands;
• Mamre, Atlantis and Vredenberg on the West Coast; and
• Steenberg, Delft, Bishop Lavis, Bellville South and Mitchells Plain in the Cape Town metropole.

“Seven arrests were effected in Steenberg and Bishop Lavis for public violence as roads were barricaded with burning tyres and debris,” said Potelwa in a press release on Monday morning.

“Meanwhile, stun grenades were used on Prince George Drive to disperse a group of protesters.”

By Monday afternoon, 25 people had been arrested on charges ranging from public violence to contraventions of the Disaster Management Act after several run-ins between police and protesters.

In Mamre, police clashed with a group of about 200 protesters who burnt tyres in Silverstream Road and pelted police officers with rocks.

“Police responded and six persons were apprehended. A police official was injured in the face during the commotion,” said Potelwa.

She said sporadic incidents of public violence were also reported in Bellville South on Frank Louw Avenue and in Greenlands resulting in 12 arrests.

By Monday afternoon, protesters in Cloetesville who were blocking the R304 had dispersed peacefully.

“In addition, there were scenes of stone throwing on the M5 opposite Parkwood early in the morning. Public order police, Grassy Park police and the City of Cape Town’s metro police were on hand. A SAPS vehicle was damaged,” added Potelwa.

© TimesLIVE