Motorists had to avoid a burning barricade that was left on the side of the road opposite Campus Square on the corner of Bunting and Kingsway roads.
Metro Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said that Metro Police officers removed the burning barricade as it was obstructing traffic at around 7am on 10 May.
Watch: Barricaded road, fire in Auckland Park, cnr Main and Kingsway near campus square this morning. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/1dCF4zaNSc
— Matiba Sibanyoni (@matibax) May 10, 2016
Spokesperson for Brixton Police Jeanette Backhoff could not confirm who was responsible for the burning barricade, despite tweets that protesting UJ students set the barricade alight, burned tyres and turned dustbins over.
Breaking News: #UJStudents are protesting and burning tyres outside Auckland Park Campus
— Era Baloyi (@EraBaloyi) May 10, 2016
AUCKLAND PARK/BRAAMFONTEIN GP: PROTEST ACTION C/O KINGSWAY & EMPIRE. ROCKS/DUSTBINS STREWN ACROSS ROADWAY.
— Mike Venter (@sacrificium_meu) May 10, 2016
#JHBTraffic Auckland Park – rocks and burning rubble on Kingsway Ave at Main Rd near Campus Square – protest action https://t.co/9s72tu9UHm
— EWN Traffic (@EWNTraffic) May 10, 2016
“Police officers were dispatched to the scene and found nothing to indicate that it was a protest. Only a chair, parts of a burnt wendy house and papers were found on the scene,” Backhoff said.
She added that the police would not investigate the matter further as the police found no one to question at the scene.
Chief Supt Minnaar said that if a resident comes across a barricaded road they should call the Joburg Connect Emergency Call Centre and officers will be sent to the scene to investigate.
Questions were sent to UJ coordinator of media relations Herman Esterhuizen and comment is awaited.
More details to follow.
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Details: Joburg Connect Emergency Call Centre, 011 375 5911