A child tear-gassed in Zandspruit. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
The Zandspruit community was up in arms on Tuesday over the alleged heavy-handedness of police in dealing with a protest in the area.
Residents are unhappy about children being electrocuted by illegal electricity connections. They blocked roads again on Tuesday, following a protest that had started the day before.
Johannesburg Metro police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar confirmed that Beyers Naude Drive was blocked with rocks and burning tyres, disrupting traffic.
Protesters from Zandspruit blocking roads. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
The Citizen’s photographer on the scene reports that police fired a tear gas canister into a crèche in the township. The children were evacuated on to the street.
Residents have been protesting over the deaths of two or even threew children over the past month, due to the many illegal electricity connections in the area.
Ward 114 councillor Victor Mafinya has confirmed the problem to Roodepoort Northsider.
“On Saturday, 13 October, we buried an 11-year-old child who had been electrocuted. Later that day, another child, aged 6, was also killed by an illegal connection,” he said, attributing the protest to the electricity issue in Zandspruit.
Roads blocked in Zandspruit. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
Joburg city councillor Nico de Jager said he was facilitating meetings to attempt to resolve the dispute.
The Citizen saw numerous examples of such connections in Zandspruit:
Illegal electricity connections in Zandspruit. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
Illegal electricity connections in Zandspruit. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
Illegal electricity connections in Zandspruit. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
Illegal electricity connections in Zandspruit. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark
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