Protests which erupted in Durban’s Sea Cow Lake and KwaMashu areas Monday morning continue and several roads were closed by protesters with burning tyres.

Many of the roads affected lead into the Springfield Industrial Park, where thousands of people work.

North Coast Road, Inanda Road, Sea Cow Lake Road and Inanda Road near the N2 highway were reportedly blocked by protesters, who were burning tyres and stoning passing vehicles.

Parts of neighbouring Kwamashu were also affected and there were reports that the M19 highway was also closed off by protesters.

Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook were abuzz with warnings to avoid the area and numerous photos taken from the area.

The local Northglen News, quoted local resident Duane Bengston as saying: “North Coast Road and Nandi Drive is crazy. Protesters are burning stiff and throwing rocks at cars”.

Kyle van Reenen, spokesman for local security firm Marshall Security, said: “I would stay away from there”.
One image from Marshall security showed a tanker, being towed with its cab in flames.

Van Reenen said the image has been sent by one of their members who is on duty in the area.

eThekwini Metro Police spokesman Superintendent Sbonelo Mchunu said shortly after 8.30 am that the situation in the affected areas was returning to normal and burning debris was being cleared.

He said that a number of scrap vehicles from a scrap yard had been moved onto the roads in the area and set alight.

Mchunu said that while there was not any certainty over the cause of the protests, initial indications were that they had sparked by “disgruntled people who were not elected”.

Some reports suggested the protests were linked to unhappiness over candidates put forward for the upcoming local government elections on August 3.

There were also unconfirmed reports that the protests were related to poor service delivery.

The protests started at about 4:00 hrs and units from both the South African Police Services as well as the eThekwini Metro Police have responded to the protests.

Mchunu said there were no arrests or reports of injuries to persons.

The Sea Cow Lake area is home to numerous informal settlements, some of which were severely affected by the heavy rains that lashed Durban last month. There are also many businesses in the area, which borders the Springfield Industrial Park complex.

Photos of the destruction.

South Africa Today – South Africa News