Police quelled sporadic incidents of violence in De Doorns early on Tuesday as some angry residents from informal settlements intimidated workers and threw stones businesses in the town.
On Tuesday's action continues days of protest over poor service delivery that has gripped the Breede River Valley.
Police fired "a few" rubber bullets as stones were hurled at a Pep Stores branch and other businesses in the town as tensions flared when some residents headed to work earlier on Tuesday, according to police.
By around 7am police had the situation under control and maintained a heavy presence in the area.
Standoffs between residents of informal settlements in De Doorns and police continued throughout the day as residents vowed to keep up the fight for basic services.
Council workers arrived to clear the remains of burnt tyres, slabs of concrete and scattered rocks that were strewn across the N1 last night.
At around 7:30pm the community gathered to discuss their grievances with Provincial Housing Department authorities. Residents demanded to be addressed by Housing MEC Whitey Jacobs.
Authorities told the group they would get houses and asked for patience.
People living in Stofland, Hassie Square, Ekuphumuleni and Maseru settlements were warned that police would be patrolling and had deployed maximum security in the area, arresting anyone who broke the law.
At around 2pm police arrived and marched toward the protesters, opening fire with rubber bullets on residents who were toyi-toying.
The residents scattered quickly, running into their houses, shutting doors, closing spaza shops and heading for the mountain as the officers moved in.
Stofland resident Noluthando Mkhetsu said: "We were just singing and showing our dissatisfaction when they started shooting at us. We were not armed and we were no threat to them," she added.
Five residents were arrested and several others injured on Tuesday.
On Monday resident Freddie Louw was killed, 12 people were injured and three people were arrested.
Municipal speaker Joe January said residents should address their issues to the ward committee, which would inform the municipality.
Themba Mbali, a community leader, said residents were demanding electricity, sanitation and housing.
Problems surrounding the housing waiting lists and municipal funding of about R152 000, intended for De Doorns settlements that had been "pumped into" other settlements in Worcester were also among concerns raised.
Meanwhile, the ANC has laid responsibility for the violent protests in De Doorns at the door of its new nemesis, the Congress of the People (COPE).
Cope has denied the allegations, saying it was untrue. Issues raised by the community were not political and were about service delivery.
ANC Deputy Provincial Secretary Max Ozinsky told the Cape Argus that the new party had distributed pamphlets in the area and that they had mobilised people on Sunday evening.
The people organising the march were three former ANC members who had joined the new party, said Ozinsky, adding that they would probably be standing in the upcoming by-election.
COPE spokesperson Mbulelo Ncedana said: "It is untrue, it is a lie." He said ANC president Jacob Zuma had previously visited the area and had promised to contact the relevant authorities and send in a team to address their issues.
- Cape Argus
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