Update: Randfontein protests rain out
A violent service delivery protest is underway on the R28 between Uncle Harry's and Randfontein Road. Motorists have been warned to avoid the area.
Update 23 April: Violent service delivery protests in Randfontein and Brandvlei have subsided owing to rain.
Both the R28 and the Brandvlei Road have been reopened for traffic.
The service delivery protests broke out early on 23 April with residents burning tyres and pelting vehicles with stones.
The herald also received a report of a truck that was set alight by protestors.
Police fired rubber bullets and numerous people were arrested for public violence.
Update 23 April: The herald has received a report of a family trapped in their home near the Brandvlei crossing while violent protests rage out of control in the street just metres away.
According to the message received, from a local resident, himself and his family are terrified.
Tyres are burning in the street and police have fired at protestors numerous times to try and keep them at bay, but to no avail.
The man continues to say that there are teachers and children also living on the property.
“We’re alright for now,” says the man.
“We’re just staying inside the house and out of sight.”
Update 23 April: The herald is receiving reports that the violent service delivery protest along the R28 in Randfontein is more widespread than initially thought.
According to reports received, protestors are causing havoc along the R28 from Uncle Harry’s all the way to Westonaria.
Reports were also received that protests have erupted at the Brandvlei crossing.
One report suggests that protestors had set fire to a truck and that the pelting of vehicles with stones are continuing despite police efforts to control the crowds.
Watch this space for more as this story develops.
23 April: A violent service delivery protest has erupted along the R28 in Randfontein.
Social media sites are abuzz with claims that protestors are pelting motorists with rocks and burning tyres in the street.
Randfontein police have closed the road between the R41 and Randfontein Road in an effort to contain the violence.
A herald reporter is currently on the scene.
Watch this space for more as this story develops.
They are blocking the streets from randfontein road R28 down to vilige street we euen saw a man walking witg a rather larg ax in the streets from the wescol ofice to the R28 direction
Ek hou van Onthou My. Dis n baie mooi liedjie en pragtige woorde sy beskryf dat sy n plat op die aarde mens is op die verhoog en agter die verhoog. Ek love Juanita se musiek.
Ag nee man!!! Dis barbaars om sulke optogte te hou.. Hoekom doen hulle dit nie soos beskaafte mense nie… Nou moet hul als brand ε̲̣̣̣̥n vernietig.. Hulle wil mos ANC stem.. Terwyl die Presedent in weelde lewe. Vergaan die mense wat vir hom gestem het. Stem ANC ε̲̣̣̣̥n julle gaan die volgende 20 jaar so aansukkel..sulke mense moet tot vervolg kom.. Hoekom kan hulle met sulke dinge wegkom.. Maar nou jǡ die tronk net so gerieflik. As j da was kan j verkies word tot Presedent…
Why should we tolerate our cars being pelted ?Use rubber bullets,don’t we pay tax to live in safe towns ? Don’t we also have a right to be safe ?
Why the sudden protest?
Why don’t the SAPS clear out the violent protestors. Why just stand and watch as they burn tyres ; pelt innocent motorists?
Why are they protesting now all of a sudden? Please ask these questions. I want to know why they are doing that
I feel it is people’s “right of expression”…to protest! But I condemm the manner in which they do it!
No need to throw stones at motorists and perform acts of violence,this is unexeptable an unecessary.
This is also not an example to set for our future generation…our children-not the right path to follow!
Hulle soek nou weer net aandag. Hulle is besig om dinge vir hulleself moeilik te maak. Hulle moet op die ou einde self die goed betaal wat hulle afbreek. Die witmense lag vir hulle, hulle tree op soos n klomp barbare.
Stem sal hulle stem vir die ANC!!!!
Please can you warn residents of Randpoort and Greenhills that there is a group going around poisoning dogs. I know of at least 9 fatals so far. I’ve lost 2 so far
Hulle wil strike so skuins voor die verkiesing. Mense se goed vernietig. Vir hulle domgeid om te stem vir die ANC. Dalk is dit nog gereel deur die Malema mannetjie homself om ons blankes bang te maak om te stem.. Suid-Afrika die tweede Zimbabwe binnekort
Waaroor gaan die optog en tirade?
Why should innocent people fear their lives? Police are there to protect so they must shoot to kill. Making an example of them will also prevent this happening in the future.
I think its disgusting to read some of these comments,we are all human beings. Why do we have to disregards our peoples lives or there living conditions. People don’t just strike because its fun and convenient, I too condemn the violence but to say the police should shoot to kill, that’s uncalled for.
Am anti-ANC, and this is not what the protest is about, learn to address the issue which is service delivery.
Ek dink hulle moet vervolg word elkeen wat in so n optog deelneem en vervolg word vir al die skade wat hil aanrig dit maak ons land net armer.Waarom moet onskuldige mense boet vir hul eise skiet die wat die probleme veroorsaak want wat soek hulle hul wil als verniet kom vat met geweld waarvoor hulle nie eens gewerk het nie
Mohlakeng residants tired of tsotsis so thy desided to take the people living by the hostel on cause thy beleave its them killing peoplr from the community
I went through them on Friday 25 April 2014 more or less at 19:45.. My poor car is smashed by rocks thrown by the protesters. I don’t have any windows left on the right side of my car, all of them are broken as well as my windscreen. The one rock went past my face after the window was broken already and it went through a canvas(painting). The one man ran up to me wanting to hit me in my face with a rock about the size of a pillow, thats when I stepped on the petrol and I somehow managed to get through. It does not give them the right to Damage innocent people’s property nor trying to kill people…if I didnt get away.. I would have been dead. The SAP pulled me over before this happened.. didn’t come to me to inform me about the protest nor did they block the road. I sat there waiting for the officer to approach me, then there came people out of the dark trying to open the doors of my car.. the one hit my window, so I drove off and that is when I ran into the protest..