Mamelodi protests were electricity-related, says CPF

Mamelodi community police forum (CPF) member Eddie Mnguni says the protests reported in the area earlier on Monday are not related to former president Jacob Zuma serving time in prison. 

There were reports of protests in Mamelodi at Tsamaya and Simon Vermooten, where roads were reportedly blocked with burning tyres.

Mnguni said Mamelodi was quiet midmorning and everything was continuing as normal.

“Earlier in the morning, there was a community protest in the far-east, near Mamelodi Mall, but it was related to electricity. They dispersed. Taxi associations had problems removing passengers. We are not sure what that was about, so as a precautionary measure we advised malls to close.

“We have people on the spot who are updating us. Generally people are going around as normal and services are continuing,” he said.

He said the police are monitoring the situation.

Mamelodi Mall, Denlyn and Tshwane Regional Mall are closed as precautionary measures.

The Tshwane metro police department's (TMPD) Isaac Mahamba confirmed that the protest action reported in the early hours of Monday in parts of Tshwane was related to service delivery issues.

“Currently in Tshwane we know that in Hammanskraal, Mamelodi and Garankuwa there are riots, but what we know is that they are service delivery issues and they are just blocking the roads,” he said.

Mahamba said the TMPD was ready to assist SAPS.

“We can confirm that those at that stage were service delivery protests. Something might develop during the day but as TMPD we are ready, and we are supplementing SAPS with manpower.”

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