Evictions spark violence in Burlington
A contingent of about 200 people, armed with traditional and dangerous weapons, set tyres alight across the railway line at Burlington railway station.
VIOLENCE erupted in the Burlington area on Wednesday afternoon, last week, when a crowd of about 200 people blockaded the railway line at Burlington Railway Station following action by the Malvern SAPS Land Invasion Unit just after noon.
“The Land Invasion Unit broke down illegal shacks in the Burlington area,” said W/O Radhika Marimuthu, corporate communications officer for Malvern SAPS.
“Thereafter at 2pm, a contingent of about 200 people, armed with traditional and dangerous weapons, set tyres alight across the railway line at Burlington railway station. This resulted in the fire engulfing the power box along the railway track.”
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Marimuthu said the crowd then focused their attention on a nearby road. “The armed crowd forcefully halted the milk truck and looted the vehicle,” she said, adding the driver and crew fled the scene fearing for their lives.
“The crowd then invaded the local pig farm, damaging property. They further dragged a trailer brazenly across the road and used it to barricade themselves from law enforcement,” said Marimuthu.
“Tyres were thrown on the road and set alight causing mayhem. Stones and rocks were thrown,” she said. “As the Public Order Police Unit arrived the crowd dispersed. Metro fire put out the burning tyres and related fires,” added Marimuthu.
The Station Commander of Malvern SAPS, Lt-Col Valarie Reddy thanked the units that worked together as a team to combat and quell the unrest.
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