Categories: South Africa
| On 4 years ago

IN PICS: N2 near Knysna reopened after residents protest over housing

By Blake Linder

Residents from Hlalani once again took to the N2 outside Knysna, Western Cape on Thursday morning to express their grievances with regard to incomplete housing projects, shutting down the road for nearly two hours before it was reopened.

The protesters reportedly began barricading the road and burning tyres shortly after 10am, in the hope of voicing their frustrations surrounding the housing projects in Hlalani, which remain unfinished.

Local municipal law enforcement arrived soon after, along with representatives from the police.

While the public order policing service (POPS) was still en route to the protest, protesters began throwing rocks at law enforcement and police vehicles, cracking the windshield of a police van.

Soon after, however, POPS arrived on the scene and the crowd dispersed as the matter was brought under control.

The Knysna fire and rescue department was called in to douse the burning tyres and debris, and then cleanup crews were called in to remove the debris from the road in order to resume the flow of traffic.

Shortly after 12pm, the cleanups had been done traffic resumed in both directions.

The N2 being cleaned. by workers. Photos: Blake Linder
Tires were set on fire by the protesters. Photos: Blake Linder
Protesters chant while burning tyres and other debris in the road. Photos: Blake Linder
Police on the N2 controlling the protests. Photos: Blake Linder
Police on the N2 controlling the protests. Photos: Blake Linder



This article first appeared on George Herald and was republished with permission.

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