NCR protest action: Residents still live in fear
Residents say they fear that violence will escalate should the tension surrounding the upcoming local government elections persist.
THE violent protest action that took place along North Coast Road early last month has left the surrounding communities traumatised and paralyzed with fear.
Nikolai Manning (7) was one of the youngest residents who were affected by the riots. The Logan Place resident recalled on Wednesday last week how he was woken up in the early hours of Monday, 6 June to the terrifying sound of drums, screams and gunshots.
“There were dogs barking, people shouting and drumming. We saw people running across the road, burning tyres and shooting rubber bullets. It was scary, because we did not know why they were doing it,” he said.
Manning told the Northglen News that his biggest fear was that the protesters would come into his home and hurt his family. Manning’s mother, Alexis said that he suffered from nightmares for days after the riots and struggled to fall asleep. They eventually decided to send him for counselling.
“It was one of the most shocking experiences my family has had to endure, watching them loot and burn shops at Lothian Road. We were trapped in our home for hours. We kept wondering if they were going to come up our road,” she said.
“The closer we get to the elections the more anxious we all become. The violence has become worse and worse. Our gardener as well as our domestic lady told us that they were forced to take part. They were even scared,” added Alexis. It is believed that the protest action was motivated by lack of approval of the ANC’s candidate list.
Harish Budhoo, a Firwood Road resident, was nearly caught up in the violence himself.
“We were trying to get to work, but near Nandi Drive the protesters were stoning the cars. We had to make an emergency U-turn. Our fear now is that it will escalate. It is concerning as we put our lives at risk simply trying to get to work,” he said.
During the course of the day’s rioting an elderly resident was stoned and assaulted while another man was shot and critically wounded while walking to work. Protesters also torched a panelbeating store, causing millions of Rands of damage.
