Police used a water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse street traders protesting in Durban’s Warwick Triangle area on Monday against the arrest of four of their fellows.
The traders, angry over the arrest of four vendors who apparently did not have licences to trade, took to the streets in the Warwick Triangle area and stoned police officers, passing traffic and police vehicles.
During the clashes, police sealed off the area, resulting in large traffic jams in the city. Crowds gathered on the overhead walkways leading to Berea railway station to watch the battle. The onramp from Warwick Triangle on to the N3 highway was littered with debris from burning tyres and rubbish.
Police spokesperson Inspector Michael Read said four South African Police Service officers were injured, while eThekwini metro police spokesperson Superintendent John Tyala said that the two metro police officers who had made the initial arrests were also injured. All six were taken to hospital and reported to be in a stable condition.
Police sealed off the area as a running battle between police and an estimated 2 000 people ensued. The water cannon and rubber bullets were used to disperse the protesters.
Read said the 20 people arrested would be charged for public disturbance. He said there had been no immediate reports of injuries to any of the protesters.
Tyala said street traders are due to meet city officials on Tuesday to discuss their licences, and that traders are demanding that police do not target vendors until the negotiations have finished. However, he said: ”Those who have licences complain about those who don’t. They can’t just take the law into their own hands and expect us not to enforce the law.”
Read said there had been an initial clash following the arrest of the four vendors for trading illegally.
Police had then managed to calm the situation and, while they were negotiating with the leaders of the vendors, a group gathered on the N3 onramp and a second clash followed. Police then brought in the water cannon, and it was during the second clash that rubber bullets were fired. — Sapa