Police units were assembled on Tuesday to tackle ongoing violent protests that saw properties set alight and roads blocked by protesters in Tshwane as violent protests sparked by the naming of Thoko Didiza as ANC mayoral candidate continued.
Protests began on Sunday night after it became clear Didiza, an ANC National Executive Committee member and former cabinet minister, was the preferred mayoral candidate for Tshwane to replace the incumbent mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa.
Police spokeswoman Colonel Noxolo Khweza said officers on leave have been called back to duty to assist and an operations centre had been established.
At least 21 buses were torched overnight in Mamelodi, north of Pretoria. In Atteridgeville two trucks and a bus were set alight Tuesday. Shops were also looted.
On Monday, three metro police officers had to run for their lives when they were attacked by the protesters.
Residents said they were not happy with Didiza and wanted Ramokgopa to remain in his position.
Khweza said the operations centre “consists of law enforcement stakeholder mobilised to come and assist in policing in Tshwane. Police are appealing to community members to remain calm and not to be involved in criminal activities”.
No arrests had been made.
Violent protests also continued in GaRankuwa, Mamelodi and Hammanskraal.
A traffic gridlock gripped the N1 freeway and the adjacent R101 road between Polokwane and Tshwane after the blocking of both roads by protesters in Hammanskraal. There were reports of foreign owned shops being looted in Hammanskraal.
Outgoing mayor Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and his ANC regional deputy Mapiet Matsena distanced themselves from the protests on Monday and condemned the violence. They called on residents to accept the mayoral candidacy and rally behind Didiza.
The ANC called for calm on Monday, with secretary Gwede Mantashe telling radio station PowerFM that the protests were “acts of thuggery” and that the protesters were not members of the governing party.
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