Violence flares in Diepsloot

2004-07-06 18:35

Johannesburg - Diepsloot residents were burning tyres and throwing stones at police as the situation became increasingly tense on Tuesday evening.

After a brief lull following an address by Pule Buthelezi, the general secretary of the African National Congress in the Johannesburg region, violence flared again.

The large crowd refused to disperse until the 19 people arrested during two days of riots were released.

Protesters stoned passing cars and set the bush alight on the side of the road.

Police were maintaining a presence at some distance from the protesters.

The 19 people face charges of arson and public violence.

Buthelezi had earlier told residents the ANC, SA National Civic Organisation, councillors and community leaders would meet to try to resolve their problems.

"Whoever says that people are going to move from Diepsloot is lying," Buthelezi said, adding that the leaders would return to the area on Wednesday to inform residents of the outcome of their discussions.

Nobody moving

"Nobody will be moved from Diepsloot whether it is today or July 13. There are people who do not want to see peace among ourselves," he said.

He later told reporters that he was confident that the tense situation would ease as the day progressed.

The protests began on Monday after a "false" rumour that Diepsloot residents were to be relocated to Brits, north of Pretoria.

Gauteng housing MEC Nomvula Mokonyane said in a statement on Tuesday: "I wish to assure people affected by this fictitious rumour that the Gauteng provincial government and the City of Johannesburg have at no stage contemplated to move Diepsloot residents to Brits."

She dismissed the rumours as "incorrect and misleading".

"If there was any decision of this nature, as claimed by those fuelling violence, we would have widely consulted and discussed the matter with people of Diepsloot and interested parties," Mokonyane said.

The City of Johannesburg also issued a statement on Tuesday saying there were "no immediate or future plans" to relocate residents.

Residents of Diepsloot - partly an informal settlement, partly proper housing - claimed a local councillor Sarafina Mulaudzi had told them they would be moved to Brits on July 14.

The City of Johannesburg statement said: "When this rumour surfaced a week ago, councillor Sarafina Mulaudzi convened a public meeting to discuss the matter and residents were assured that there were no plans to relocate them."

'Destructive incidents'

The community was moved to Diepsloot, north west of Johannesburg, in 2000 from Alexandra after the Jukskei River flooded.

Protesters set fire to two municipal buildings on Monday.

MEC for Local Government Dorothy Qedani condemned the burning of council buildings. "I would like to condemn the actions of the Diepsloot group in the strongest possible terms.

"It is shocking to learn that after 10 years of democracy and freedom in our country we still have such destructive incidents in our communities," she said in a statement on Tuesday.

The R511 had been closed since violence broke out on Tuesday morning.

- SAPA