Renewed protests along N2

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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Renewed protest action erupted along the N2 in the early hours of Monday morning, 1 October, but this time it lasted only a few hours.

Protesters set a delivery vehicle alight close to the Dana Bay offramp.

At the time of going to press, the N2 was reopened in both directions, with a number of Dana Bay residents running the gauntlet of driving into town along the N2 via the Langeberg Mall turn-off.

The truck was set alight on the N2 close to the Dana Bay offramp early on Monday, 1 October. The KwaNonqaba police secured the area where the truck was set alight to allow firefighters to safely extinguish the fire.

Soon thereafter incidents of stone throwing were reported on the Louis Fourie Road between the Flora Road and Casino Road intersections.

Louis Fourie Road was reopened at approximately 08:15, however, motorists were advised to proceed with the utmost caution.

This protest followed two previous times when residents of Dana Bay were trapped in the neighbourhood, on the first for more than 48 hours due to protests.

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Police managed to secure the area where the truck was set alight on the N2. It is unclear what the fate of the truck driver was. Photo: Thys Giliomee

At that time, the community of Asla Park issued the municipality a list of 15 demands. The Mossel Bay Municipality engaged at length with representatives of the community. However, the municipality was informed at a much later stage that the Asla Park community ultimately would not back down on its demand for access to Erf 2001, the site where the new cemetery was built.

At the time of going to press the reasons for the latest protest action were not yet disclosed.

The municipal manager, Advocate Thys Giliomee, a number of councillors, law enforcement personnel and members of the Dana Bay Neighbourhood Watch kept a close watch on the situation along Louis Fourie Road.