Protests cost city millions

The City of Cape Town has spent R2.6 million over the last few weeks to repair infrastructure that has been vandalized during service delivery protests. Last week, residents of Phumlani Village, vandalized twelve traffic lights in the area, which will cost the R600,000 to replace. According to Mayoral spokesperson Solly Malatsi, this money could have been used to improve services in the areas where the traffic lights have been vandalized. He said the service delivery protests seem to be orchestrated by organizations that have political ambitions.

“Certain organizations have indicated that they will de-stabilize the Western Cape. Of course we try to engage with as many communities as possible. But in some cases those interactions are not at the level where it could be,” Malatsi told VOC’s In the Fast Lane. While Mayor Patricia De Lille is open to engaging with communities and community leaders on service delivery issues, they often find that residents are not always able to get hold of the councillor in the area.

“Sometimes you find that communities are unable to get through to their proportional representative or ward councillor and that breakdown in communication unfortunately leads to service delivery protests,” he explained. He added that at times many of the service delivery protests tend to turn violent and that violence then translates to the vandalism of public property and services.
Protest action continues

Meanwhile, angry protestors again wrecked havoc in certain areas on the Cape Flats on Monday, burning tyres, throwing bricks and petrol bombs at passers-by. By late Monday afternoon, roads remained closed to vehicles travelling in peak hour traffic, given the danger to motorists. Sapa news agency reported that 100 people protested over poor service delivery in Nyanga. Police spokesperson, Andre Traut said the group gathered on the corner of Lansdowne and Duinefontein roads just after 3am and barricaded the road with burning tyres. "The situation is monitored, and police are on the scene to maintain law and order," he said.

Golden Arrow Bus Services spokesperson, Brownen Dyke said one of the company’s buses got caught in the spreading protest action. "They stoned the bus and set it alight in Gugulethu, on the corner of Lansdowne and Nyl roads," she said. "The driver was injured. He received facial lacerations because a stone came through the window and hit him on the face. He is okay though." She could not say how much damage there was to the bus.

The City has warned motorists to avoid the following intersections due to the ongoing service delivery protests:
- Lansdowne Road and Stock Road
- Vanguard Drive and Duinefontein Road
- Vanguard Drive and Weltervreden Parkway
- Vanguard Drive at the R300

The City’s spokesperson for traffic services, Maxine Jordaan said they are advising motorists to use Old Strandfontein Road and Baden Powell Drive as alternative routes. “Road users should approach intersections where traffic signals have been vandalized as four way stops. All the City’s services assisting with the clean up and monitoring actions will stay on high alert and work together on a 24 hour basis to minimize the disruption as far as possible,” said Jordaan.

She said the City is encouraging residents to report protest related incidents by calling the 107 call centre number from a landline and 021-480 7700 from a cellphone. VOC/SAPA (Dorianne Arendse)