Calm has returned to the streets of Kliptown in the aftermath of protest action by residents yesterday.

Kliptown residents, joined by Ward 19 (Emuva Kwa Sporo) inhabitants in the fight for housing.

Protesters barricaded roads with rocks and burning tyres, while police officers fired teargas canisters to disperse the crowds.

There were reports of sporadic gunfire as the protest spilled over to neighboring Klipspruit West, where residents were told not to go to work by protesters.

Related: Kliptown, Emuva Kwa Sporo residents take to the streets over housing

According to Ward 17 Councillor Peter Rafferty, “Residents raised valid concerns about the housing allocation process and how long it took for subsidies to be approved.

“Thus far, out of the 300 units allocated to Ward 17, a total of 146 people have been moved.”

Rafferty added that another concern was that of the housing project scheduled to take place in Klipspruit Extension Seven.

SAPS were called in to quell the protests yesterday and Rafferty condemned the violence which resulted in three people being shot, as well as the hospitalisation of a three-week-old baby believed to have inhaled teargas fumes.

Related: UPDATE: Watch videos of the protests for houses in Kliptown

“These are not the type of things we need to see in our communities. A follow-up meeting will be held on May 9 at 4 pm at the Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown.

MMC Mzobanzi Ntuli and all relevant stakeholders will be there to deal with the feedback from Wards 17 and 19 residents.”

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