TEN people were arrested on Monday, 14 March amid ongoing protest action that saw thousands of people engage in public violence in the Folweni area behind Amanzimtoti.
Starting in the early hours of the morning, crowds barricaded the R603 which links Toti to the N3 with burning logs, tyres, steel and rocks.
This resulted in a privately-owned truck loaded with logs being set alight.
Police are investigating cases of public violence following the burning down of the Folweni fire station prefab building and a school office on Monday night. Fortunately the fire-fighting equipment was saved.
On Monday evening, residents demanded the release of those arrested who were held at Folweni SAPS.
There were unconfirmed reports of evening gunfire exchanges between police and unknown individuals following petrol bomb attacks on armoured police vehicles.
Lieutenant Nqobile Gwala of the KZN SAPS media office confirmed to the Sun that police vehicles had been damaged during Monday’s protest.
When the Sun arrived at Folweni police station on Tuesday morning, a large contingent of armoured vehicles and members of several public order policing (POP) units from across the province had been deployed to the area. Further down the M35, a larger contingent of POP officers in full riot gear faced off with a large crowd at about 10am. They were standing by in the event of further skirmishes.
Political unrest that started in Folweni’s ward 95 three weeks ago spilled over into neighbouring Umbumbulu (ward 100) and Bhekulwandle (ward 67) along the R603 on Monday.
“Roads barricaded with burning tyres, broken glass, steel barriers, tree stumps and rocks against the background of small arms fire between houses was reminiscent of scenes that played out during the 1980s, as opposed to a country almost a quarter century into democracy,” said Toti ward 97 councillor, Andre Beetge, who visited the scene on Tuesday. He confirmed the protest action was related to the recent burning of ward 95 ANC Cllr Shange’s office, adjacent municipal building and municipal equipment valued at several million rand in the Folweni area. “Further to this, groups in political attire forced IEC officials to close voting stations in ward 95 during the first registration weekend, depriving residents the opportunity to register and exercise their democratic right to vote on bread and butter issues,” said Beetge.
It is understood that residents are unhappy about the ANC’s ward 95 local government election candidate. Speculation that this is linked to the power struggle between eThekwini mayor, Cllr James Nxumalo and regional ANC chairman, Cllr Zandile Gumede could not be confirmed, as a request for comment to the ANC, via PR councillor Jaco Pienaar went unanswered.
The situation prevails amid preparations for an early April by-election in ward 67, following the death of ANC Cllr Hendrik Cele in December.
