Blue Downs residents clash with police

Happy Valley protesters blocked Wimbledon Road on Monday. Photos: Phumeza Halonisi

Residents of Happy Valley in Blue Downs, Cape Town, protested throughout the day on Monday, demanding better service delivery and a taxi rank.

They blocked Wimbledon Road in Blue Downs with stones and burnt tires. Stones were thrown at vehicles passing by. The protest also led to the closure of the Blue Downs clinic and Magistrate’s Court.

“When it’s raining, people have to stand in the rain and wait for taxis that are passing by,” said South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) secretary Benita Engelbrecht.

Neighbourhood Watch chairperson Emmanuel May said that a new taxi rank had been promised by the ward councillor at a ward budget meeting several months ago, but has not materialised.

“When we asked her what is the progress with the things she had promised … she said there is no money,” said May.

He added that the community needs investment from the City of Cape Town. “Our children don’t have anywhere to play, there are no sports fields and no library. When our children want to do their schoolwork, they have to walk to Mfuleni Library,” he said.

Approached for comment, ward councillor Kariena Mare denied that any promises had been made to the community about building a taxi rank.

Resident Sharaat Ismael said the protest was not intended to be violent, but “we were forced to retaliate when the police used force on us”.

A resident who asked to remain anonymous told GroundUp that his 13-year-old son was shot with a rubber bullet while standing in front of a gate at his home. “Police came into the houses and started shooting. My son was standing in front of the gate when he was shot by a police officer on his thigh,” said the resident. (The child is okay.)

Mvano Magula, spokesperson for the Mfuleni Community Policing Forum said that it was an unlawful protest and that SAPS should therefore apply the law and arrest people breaking the law.

“We acknowledge that everyone must be treated with respect and dignity, but we can’t allow a situation where there is lawlessness, stoning vehicles, burning of roads and intimidation towards schools,” he said.

SAPS spokesperson Malcom Pojie said Mfuleni police registered a public violence case and two people were arrested.

Police responded to the protest and used rubber bullets to disperse residents. A 13-year-old boy was allegedly shot outside his home with a rubber bullet.

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