Emeute de l’électricité sur Vanguard Drive (Cape Town) – 6 mars 2012

Riot sparks traffic chaos

iol.co.za

March 5 2012 at 01:30pm

LYNNETTE JOHNS

Staff Writer

RAMPAGING protesters forced police to close down parts of Vanguard Drive today as they burnt tyres and portable toilets and vandalised road signs and traffic lights.

Thousands of motorists were stuck in gridlocked traffic as police clashed with nearly 100 protesters, many in their early teens or younger.

The protesters threw rocks at police who in turn fired rubber bullets in their direction. There were no reports of injuries.

City of Cape Town traffic spokeswoman Merle Lourens said a section of Vanguard Drive between the R300 and Lansdowne Road, in both directions, was still closed at the time of going to press.

“Traffic is being diverted from there,” she said.

Protesters had also vandalised traffic lights and traffic signs along Vanguard Drive.

The city said Vanguard Drive had been closed along several key stretches – including around Duinefontein and Lansdowne roads, NY72, Weltevreden and Varkensvlei roads – causing a substantial diversion of traffic on to the N2, which became heavily congested.

City spokeswoman Kylie Hatton confirmed incidents of tyre burning and stone throwing.

The protest started in the early hours, with one couple saying they awoke to burning tyres and the sounds of protest. Read more…