NATIONAL SHUTDOWN: Officers monitor Boksburg hotspots after sporadic blockades
Police remain on high alert in Boksburg despite calm having been restored to some areas affected by protests during the night from Sunday evening and Monday morning.
The EFF announced its members would today embark on its national shutdown against load-shedding and a collapsing economy while calling for president Cyril Ramaphosa to resign.
The Boksburg Advertiser visited a few areas in Boksburg and noticed that, although some people were going about their business, there were relatively a few incidents on Main Reef Road between Wit Deep and Pretoria roads, which was blockaded with burning tyres and other objects.
These sporadic incidents were reported on Sunday night at the different sections of the road along the informal settlements – the intersection of Wit Deep and Main Reef, Field and Main Reef and the stretch of Main Reef next to the Angelo industrial area and the Angelo Mission informal settlement.
Information gathered suggests that these were not just EFF members but ordinary community members who took advantage of the planned shutdown.
Law enforcement agencies, including police and private security companies, swiftly responded to the affected areas and managed to disperse the crowds.
Rubber bullets were fired and a resident’s car, parked near the road in Angelo informal settlement, was damaged. Residents claim a window on the car was shattered and its body damaged when officers fired rubber bullets at the crowd.
The majority of businesses and shops remained closed along the stretch of road this morning. However, taxis were operational, transporting people to their different destinations.
Heavily armed police and security officers were seen maintaining high visibility in the aforementioned spots.
The situation remains calm and police remain on high alert.
Although people were seen going about their normal businesses, the roads were relatively quiet this morning, compared to other business days, apparently because of the schools’ special holiday and businesses that opted to close for the day.
The SAPS announced this morning that law enforcement officers through the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) have in the last 12 hours arrested at least 87 protestors across the country for public violence-related offences.
We are now entering Sandton! It’s a #NationalShutDown! No retreat! No surrender! pic.twitter.com/q8ksW2kg4G
— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) March 20, 2023
Authorities collected at least 24 300 tyres placed next to the roads from different parts of the country.
As precautionary measures to prevent and deal with any form of opportunistic crimes, NATJOINTS has ahead of the EFF’s planned shutdown mobilised maximum resources to heighten police visibility across the country.
Members of the army have also been deployed across the country before the shutdown.
The rights enshrined in our Constitution cannot be taken for granted. Too many lives have been lost and too many people have suffered so that we may all be protected by a Bill of Rights that applies to all laws and that is the cornerstone of our democracy. https://t.co/XVRT7f0jZ7 pic.twitter.com/4UZPZP2mWX
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) March 20, 2023
Also Read: National shutdown: Locals share their views
Also Read: National shutdown: Locals share their views
