Two people die during Soweto hostel protest

A body being loaded into a forensic pathology van following protests in Soweto on Monday. Photos: Silver Sibiya

Two people died during a protest by residents of the Diepkloof Hostel in Soweto on Monday morning.

Traffic was brought to a standstill at the N1 North and N12 East interchange. Hundreds of protestors burned tyres and threw rocks at cars.

A large truck carrying cans of pilchards was looted. The truck driver accelerated to escape the protestors, veering off the road and hitting two people. One person was critically injured and the other died. A second protester died after being hit by a car.

Hostel leader Dumisani Ncube said that the protest was triggered by rumours that a private company owns the land on which they want new hostel buildings to be constructed by the City of Johannesburg. The original hostel building was constructed in the 1970s to accommodate migrant workers but it is now dilapidated. Further details are unavailable.

GroundUp has previously reported on a protest at the hostel after promises by former Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda to improve conditions were not fulfilled.

Sibongiseni Khoza, another hostel leader, explained that the hostel residents are unemployed and hungry, and saw an opportunity when they saw the truck.

“There are 3,000 unemployed hungry people here. You can’t come to the hostel with a truck carrying food and expect nothing will happen. I don’t condone what happened,” said Khosa (GroundUp has not been able to independently verify the number of people living in the hostel).

Gauteng Police Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed the two deaths.

The City of Johannesburg did not respond to questions by the time of publication.

Hundreds of protestors looted a truck carrying pilchards.

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