Four people have been arrested on charges of public violence after a meeting with Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato turned violent, moments after he left the Overcome Heights informal settlement in Steenberg yesterday.
Police and metro police officers fired rubber bullets to disperse the angry mob who barricaded roads and set portable toilets alight.
Protesting residents prevented local ward councillor Demetri Qually from leaving the venue, accusing him and the mayor of lying to them.
Plato and Qually met with residents yesterday to inform them that the city council had on Thursday approved plans to electrify their shacks.
Qually said they were in the area to give the community positive feedback.
"I am very disappointed, it was good news for the bulk of the people but a few turned violent after the mayor left," he said.
He said he was busy packing up with one of his staff members when residents started demonstrating and blocking off the road.
"We told them that the process will start early next year but some of the demonstrators were determined to make a political issue out of the fact that council did not give a precise date," he added.
Qually said police and metro police reacted swiftly and brought the situation under control.
Police captain Stephen Knapp said last night that the four people had been charged with public violence and are due to appear in court soon.
- Cape Argus
Police and metro police officers fired rubber bullets to disperse the angry mob who barricaded roads and set portable toilets alight.
Protesting residents prevented local ward councillor Demetri Qually from leaving the venue, accusing him and the mayor of lying to them.
Plato and Qually met with residents yesterday to inform them that the city council had on Thursday approved plans to electrify their shacks.
Qually said they were in the area to give the community positive feedback.
"I am very disappointed, it was good news for the bulk of the people but a few turned violent after the mayor left," he said.
He said he was busy packing up with one of his staff members when residents started demonstrating and blocking off the road.
"We told them that the process will start early next year but some of the demonstrators were determined to make a political issue out of the fact that council did not give a precise date," he added.
Qually said police and metro police reacted swiftly and brought the situation under control.
Police captain Stephen Knapp said last night that the four people had been charged with public violence and are due to appear in court soon.
- Cape Argus
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