Two people died during a protest for basic services in Diepkloof, Soweto, on Monday morning, while a truck driver and two assistants were beaten by residents who looted their vehicle.
One of the deceased, a recycler, is believed to have been hit by a truck that also crashed into a transformer, leaving the area without electricity.
Gauteng police spokesperson Col Mavela Masondo confirmed the two deaths. He said one person was hit by a truck carrying tinned fish, which got lost and ended up at the hostel, while the second person was hit by a motorist who was trying to avoid the protest.
WATCH | Diepkloof protest chaos claims two lives, trucks looted
Image: Antonio Muchave
Two people died during a protest for basic services in Diepkloof, Soweto, on Monday morning, while a truck driver and two assistants were beaten by residents who looted their vehicle.
One of the deceased, a recycler, is believed to have been hit by a truck that also crashed into a transformer, leaving the area without electricity.
Gauteng police spokesperson Col Mavela Masondo confirmed the two deaths. He said one person was hit by a truck carrying tinned fish, which got lost and ended up at the hostel, while the second person was hit by a motorist who was trying to avoid the protest.
Law enforcement officers were deployed to the scene to monitor the situation and restore order after residents took to the N12 to complain about service delivery.
A truck driver who found himself caught in the protest told how residents — who looted his truck — beat his two colleagues.
Ronald Mabulana, 41, said the incident occurred at about 4.45am on the N12 interchange when a group of people appeared from the bushes, went towards him and started hitting the truck with objects.
“It was really scary and I feared for my life, so I got off the truck and ran for my life because when incidents like these happen, sometimes they kill drivers.
“My two colleagues who were left in the car were beaten up, everything was taken from us — our phones, our keys, including our lunch.”
Another truck driver who went through the area also found himself in the same situation. He was also beaten up and his tinned fish stock taken.
“We received an earlier report that a truck was looted and the driver was allegedly assaulted,” said Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Xolani Fihla.
SowetanLIVE
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