UPDATE: 43 protesters due in court, security beefed up ahead of another possible Amandawe protest march
Saps members have also been called in from various stations from as far afield as Margate to assist.
UPDATE: June 21, 10.10am:
PROTESTS are still ongoing in Amandawe this morning, with threats having been made by protesters that any police vehicle entering the area would be set alight.
Reports have also been received that protesters have destroyed some of the roads by removing the tar entirely in places. Tyres are also being burnt and some vehicles have apparently been stoned earlier this morning.
Some protesters have also reportedly prevented locals from leaving the area and warned them to stay off the roads – some locals who have opted not to join the march are taking routes through sugarcane fields in order to get to work in Scottburgh.
Scottburgh Saps Station Commander Colonel Ralph Ruiters and Major-General Agnes Nxamagele are at the scene, together with various authorities and are monitoring the situation closely.
It is thought that protesters may march to Scottburgh and demand the release of the 43 protesters who were arrested earlier this week, but the situation at present remains calm despite social media users claiming that protesters are already en-route to court.
Security has been beefed up at the Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court as those arrested are due to appear today facing various charges.
Saps members have also been called in from various stations from as far afield as Margate to assist.
More as the story develops.
UPDATE: June 20, 8.45am:
IT was all hands on deck yesterday morning as Scottburgh Saps, the Public Order Police Unit, the Road Traffic Inspectorate and various local security agencies worked hand in hand to ward off some 1 500 protesters from gaining access to Scottburgh where supposedly, the intent was to storm the local municipal offices.
Some of the protesters hurled stones at passing vehicles and at police.
“They barricaded Dududu Road with rocks and burning tyres, trees and other rubble to prevent vehicles from passing through. Some of the protesters hurled stones at passing vehicles and at police,” said Provincial Saps spokesman, Colonel Thembeka Mbhele.
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Police confronted the volatile crowd of protesters at the intersection of Dududu Road and the R102 Old Main Road in Freeland Park and prevented them from proceeding to Scottburgh.
Public Order Police responded with ‘necessary force’ to disperse the volatile and increasingly violent crowd.
Many of the protesters regrouped at various points.
Protesters uprooted trees and broke branches from the bush alongside the freeway and brought traffic to a standstill by placing these across the freeway.
They continued to stone vehicles and cases of malicious injury to property and public violence were registered by the Scottburgh Saps for investigation.
It is believed that a memorandum of demands regarding service delivery had been presented to Umdoni Municipality in May and the Amandawe community was dissatisfied with the response received.
Police are still busy dispersing the protestors as they continue to regroup and disrupt traffic.
Forty-three people have been arrested and detained for public violence. They are expected to appear in the Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (Thursday).
At around midday, protestors dragged a scrap bus, car and a refuse skip onto the road in Amagcino Ward in Amandawe and blocked the road with rocks. A nearby sugarcane plantation was also set alight.
Police used a Nyala to clear the road and allow for the free flow of traffic once again. The situation is being monitored by police and preventative measures are being employed to thwart any further flare-ups.
UPDATE: June 19, 10.50am:
POLICE in full riot gear successfully prevented protesters from entering Scottburgh earlier this morning.
Hundreds of protesters are currently burning a bus and a car along the Dududu Main Road. Police have blocked access to the area.
Motorists are advised to avoid the Dududu area at present while the situation is brought under control.
More as the story develops.
ORIGINAL STORY: June 19, 9am
HUNDREDS of protesters are due to arrive in Scottburgh any minute now as they make their way toward the town’s central business district.
It is said that the group of protesters have not obtained permission to carry out the march.
It is yet to be confirmed exactly who is marching (possibly the Anti-Deployment Association) and for what purpose but reports indicate that it is a very large group.
ALSO READ: Amandawe marchers to hand over memorandum to Umdoni Mayor [PHOTOS]
Access to Dududu and Amandawe is at present not possible as various roads remain blocked. It is thought that the protesters will head towards Umdoni Municipality.
Stay with us for more on this developing story.
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