Cape Town - Several road closures were brought into effect on Monday following service delivery protests in Kensington and Strand.
At around 5.30am, Cape Town Traffic Services spokesperson Kevin Jacobs said officers attended to a scene in which Voortrekker Road was closed between 18th Avenue and Jakes Gerwel Drive. Voortrekker Road reopened at around 8.44am.
Protests also took place in Strand, with Gordon’s Bay Road closed between Rusthof Street and Beach Road, and reopened after 6am.
City Traffic Service spokesperson Maxine Bezuidenhout said City traffic officers, law enforcement and the police attended to the two scenes.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said at 6am on Monday.
“A group of 20 disgruntled community members staged a service delivery protest near the corners of 18th Avenue and Voortrekker Road. The group dispersed peacefully at around 8.30am,” he said.
Swartbooi said no related incidents were reported and no arrests were made although Kensington police were investigating a case of public violence.
Kensington ward councillor Helen Jacobs said those protesting were from the 18th Avenue and Gate 7 informal communities in Factreton.
“They fall under the Ndabeni Trust and Department of Public Works, the owners of the land. They are looking for water, electricity and toilets.
“We met with them after 1pm and some of the officials from the City to discuss their grievances and find a way forward. What we will do from our side is get informal settlements, the Ndabeni Trust and the Department of Public Works, all the role-players, together so that we can discuss the way forward and see how they can help.” Jacobs said the City could not provide water and electricity as it was not City land.
“That means we need to get information or approval from the land owners and that is where we are stuck at the moment. They have formalised their grievances and we are taking it from there,” she said.