Streets bear testimony to ANCYL chaos
2011-08-30 18:06
Johannesburg - The streets in downtown Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon bore testimony to the anarchy caused by unruly ANC Youth League supporters earlier in the day.
As police started packing their riot gear away, an officer told reporters that the crowd would definitely disperse in due course.
"They won't stay here tonight (on Tuesday)," an officer said.
Broken glass, bricks and rubbish lined Sauer and Simmonds Streets, while barbed wire set up around some buildings was taken down and a medical tent set up earlier was taken down.
Rudi Pretorius of emergency services said that personnel treated a number of people who were pelted with stones during the day.
This included a police officer and a photographer, who were hit in the back of their heads. A pedestrian was also knocked down and one man fell from a ledge, but he was not injured badly.
As the sun began to set, a woman was selling food to supporters and this led to empty polystyrene containers around her stall.
The majority of journalists who were earlier attacked in the day had also left.
The calm from supporters came after ANC Youth League leader, Julius Malema addressed crowds, calling for restraint and discipline.
Stones
Malema and youth league leadership are facing a disciplinary hearing at the ANC headquarters, Luthuli House.
His five co-accused are league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, league deputy president Ronald Lamola, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa, his deputy Kenetswe Mosenogi and treasurer general Pule Mabe.
The youth league leadership face charges of bringing the ANC into disrepute and sowing division in ANC ranks.
A group told reporters that they would be back on Wednesday and would not leave until a decision from the disciplinary committee was made.
They said that if the outcome did not "come out the right way" they would make the country ungovernable. They threatened that South Africa would "become worse than Libya".
The group blamed police for intimidating them, and defended their stone throwing.
Windows of some buildings in the area were smashed by stone-throwers.
- SAPA
