Protesters ran amok from 2am until the afternoon on Monday, as they barricaded roads with stones, tree branches and burning tyres.
Early in the morning, they threw stones at a passing vehicle, and prevented anyone from entering or leaving the area, including school children and those who wanted to go to work.
Police, consisting out of the EMPD and the SAPS, responded swiftly, closing off the affected roads while warning motorists about the ongoing protest.
The protesters say they are fed-up with the municipality and its empty promises and want electricity and water within the next few weeks.
They also want the metro to buy the land they occupy in order to build RDP houses for them. But officials say residents have to be patient as counsel is still in the process of obtaining the land from the owner, Living Africa Properties.
Residents say they had enough and can’t wait any longer, and that demonstrating is the only way to make their voices heard.
They are, thus, willing to do anything to get electricity, water and proper homes for their families.
Just after 10am, police fired rubber bullets at the protesters and threw a smoke bomb to disperse the crowd.
The crowd retaliated by pelting stones, bottles and other objects at the police.
A boy was caught in the line of fire, suffering a deep gash to his forehead.
By Monday afternoon, it was unclear what hit him. Residents claim that it is a rubber bullet fired by the police, but police say the boy was accidentally hit by a brick thrown at them by one of the protesters.
Residents say police started shooting rubber bullets for nothing, as they were protesting peacefully and posed no danger to anyone.
The stand-off cooled down only after the MMC for Community Safety, Mthuthuzeli Siboza, arrived to address the angry crowd.
He promised residents that their issues will be attended to.
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