What started as a service delivery protest on Sunday, 10 August, deteriorated into vandalism and xenophobic attacks as the week wore on.
According to a statement by the Executive Mayor of Mossel Bay, Alderlady Marie Ferreira, the main source of conflict is understood to be a municipal notice which was issued regarding illegal electrical connections, mainly in Thembalihle, Mfuleni and Sijaji Streets in KwaNonqaba.
The Democratic Alliance indicated in a press release that the party ascribes the reason for the protest to be politically motivated, an opinion echoed by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr Pravin Gordhan, and municipal spokesperson, Mr Harry Hill. The municipality has since stressed that no electricity connections have been disconnected in the past month.
Protestors have told the Mossel Bay Advertiser that their grievances are about more than just the availability or cost of electricity - instead, it extends to decent living conditions, which includes adequate sanitary facilities, access to fresh water, the availability of proper housing and roads in the informal settlements where they live.
The protestors, however, insisted since Tuesday that they did not want local councillors to intermediate on their behalf and insisted that no politics whatsoever motivated their behaviour.
Dialogue
On Wednesday afternoon, the Western Cape MEC for Community Safety, Minister Dan Plato, and Alderlady Ferreira met with thousands of protestors at the soccer stadium on Bill Jeffery Road.
The crowd told Thabisen Lechaba they insisted on hearing the mayor speak and they listened respectfully and quietly when she reiterated her commitment to dialogue.
Minister Plato pleaded with the people to elect leaders to meet with a delegation of the municipality on Thursday afternoon.
"Please help us to help you," Minister Plato urged the crowd.
Damage
On Sunday, between 80 and 100 protestors gathered in Mayixhale Street and damaged four traffic lights at the intersection of Louis Fourie Road.
They then set fire to a municipal building next to the KwaNonqaba Police Station, before they moved through the rest of the area, causing mayhem as they moved along.
Although rioters initially targeted municipal buildings and infrastructure such as traffic signs, they soon turned to community assets, such as the Garden Route Primary School, where a fire caused some damage, the office of the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, as well as the newly-built Thusong Centre.
Several roads, including the N2 highway, were sporadically closed as tyres and even tree trunks were burnt on the tarred surfaces, causing extensive damage, also along roads in KwaNonqaba.
Members from four police stations responded to the riots, including the Public Order Policing Directorate. Police spokesperson Capt Malcolm Pojie confirmed that three young people were treated on the scene for tear gas and said they were discharged after treatment.
Tense stand-off
On Tuesday, a tense stand-off of several hours ensued when rioters targeted the KwaNonqaba Police Station and community hall. According to police spokesperson Capt Wollie Fourie, police had to use stun grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
As the riots entered a fifth day on Thursday, police had detained at least 80 people for public violence, of which 34 appeared in court on Thursday. The case has been remanded to 4 September.
Xenophobia
Both on Monday and Tuesday nights, juvenile delinquents targeted the informal shops owned by foreign nationals. On Monday night, at least 15 of these shops were vandalised and on Tuesday night, several were torched.
Youths were seen running especially in Asla Park, carrying flat screen televisions and groceries, said to have been looted from these shops.
Business affected
Several shops and businesses were closed since Sunday. The KwaNonqaba mall remained closed for the duration of the unrest and taxi owners took to the streets to protest the loss of income, as workers were intimidated to not go to work.
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The MEC for Community Safety, Minister Dan Plato and the Executive Mayor of Mossel Bay, Alderlady Marie Ferreira, met with thousand of protestors on Wednesday afternoon.Photo: Nickey le Roux
Tyres were burnt in Adriaans Road and the Garden Route Primary School suffered some damage after rioters set fire to the building.
On Wednesday the police helicopter was called in to assit with
restoring order to KwaNonqaba.Photo: Mariska Visagie
ARTICLE: NICKEY LE ROUX, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER JOURNALIST
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