Thousands of residents of Olievenhoutbosch in Centurion took to the streets on Tuesday (15 April) as part of a service delivery protest.
The protestors blocked roads, reportedly demanding housing and electricity. Protestors block roads with burning tyres stones and rubble, resulting in the R55 being closed to traffic between Centurion and Kyalami. One vehicle was pelted and no houses were burned. Police were on scene and Tshwane metro police spokesman Isaac Mahamba reported on Tuesday afternoon that the situation remained calm but tense. Violence broke out after residents from a village near Zeerust in the North West province marched to their local municipal headquarters to demand the delivery of water to their villages. Police say residents burnt down a tribal office and a ward councillor’s house on Friday evening. North West Premier Thandi Modise has condemned the violence saying, “The destruction of private and public properties is not a solution to addressing whatever concerns the community might have. Our disappointment is that the violence occurred after attempts earlier in the day by my office to receive a memorandum from the community.”
