Two suspected ‘ringleaders’ were arrested on Wednesday morning, 3 April 2019, for leading the #AlexTotalShutdown protest, Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) confirms.
A group of protesters in the Alexandra township of Johannesburg took to the streets in the early hours of Wednesday morning. From as early as 04:00, Alexandra residents had already barricaded roads with rocks and burning tyres, barricading the Marlboro Road next to the Sasol filling station and the Far East Bank Road next to the Gautrain station.
JMPD spokesperson chief superintendent, Wayne Minnaar, confirmed that two suspected ‘ringleaders’ of the shutdown had been arrested. However, Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel, Lungelo Dlamini, could not confirm reports of the arrests.
Reports state that the protest was to highlight and raise awareness of the failure by the City officials to stop the establishment of illegal structures and to address lawlessness in the area.
“I was born and bred in Alexandra. Today we are protesting to bring our Alexandra back. We are sick and tired of corruption that has been going on. Our land has been invaded by intruders. People coming from outside want to take what belongs to us. We are not fighting anyone. We are just making a statement to be heard but the police are shooting at us, that is not acceptable,” said one of the residents.
The resident added that foreign nationals were occupying RDP houses and taking over every piece of vacant land in the area to build shacks.
“Crime is getting worse. We have a police station that doesn’t work for us as a community,” she said.
News24 reported that even though residents were still burning tyres, they had been moved to the side of the road and traffic was moving. Minnaar called it a game of cat and mouse but said JPMD officers would stay there until the protest had fully subsided.
“As soon as the officers clear the barricades, then the people come back. We will stay here as long as necessary,” he said.
Abenathi Gqomo
a.gqomo@politicalanalysis.co.za
