With bricks and stones at the ready, ANC members near Beyers Naude Square were ready to fight the DA with their march for 6 million “real jobs”.
Just before midday on 12 February police had to fire rubber bullets to subdue ANC crowds, which Metro police told reporters on scene were there illegally.
The DA and ANC initially said the march would be without violence.
Reporter Simone Samuels, who marched alongside media this morning, said DA members carried only umbrellas, and none had rocks or any weapons.
After midday police had to turn away DA marchers as the heated stand-off turned violent; police fired more shots into ANC crowds as the marchers started breaking down barriers supposed to separate the two political rivals. ANC members had also allegedly started flinging petrol bombs.
By 12.20pm thousands of DA marchers were back at the West Gate transport hub. This marked the end of their march.
