PIENAAR – Violent protests amongst dissatisfied ANC members on the outcome of municipal or ward candidates nominations have turned out deadly in Pienaar.
Read: Strike over councillors brings Pienaar to a standstill
One of the protesters was shot dead this morning when members of the public allegedly fired shots randomly. “The protesters fired live shots around 03:00 this morning and the man was killed during those exchanges of shots,” explained Lt Jabu Ndubane, spokesperson of Pienaar police.
“His identity cannot be revealed at this moment as his next of kin have not yet been informed,” she said.
Ndubane added the protests turned sour yesterday when a member of the police at the scene was hit with stones while trying to get someone from the road. He apparently retaliated by shooting one of the protester’s hand.
Today members of the community continued to barricade roads with debris, threw stones at passing people and had badly damaged three police vans in the process.
It is also reported that some of the protesters had begun to cut down trees and closing roads of the area. Businessman are said to be supporting and providing the protesters with transport and liquor.
