A man running for his life from violent protesters was killed when he was hit by a truck.
Albert Motloutleng, 32, from Wallacedene was on his way to work on Wednesday morning when rioters blocked people from leaving and he tried to evade them.
A 50-year-old man who witnessed the incident says Albert “tried to save himself” and ran in front of the truck, which was carrying workers, and died on the scene.
“The people were pelting the truck with stones and suddenly everything became chaotic on Botfontein Road,” says the witness.
“A big crowd was attacking the people with stones and sticks when they wanted to go to work. The deceased ran across the road in front of the lorry that bumped him.”
On Tuesday, protesters blockaded roads around Khayelitsha demanding water, toilets, electricity and waste removal.
The protests, which have spread to other areas, are organised by a movement called Intlungu yaseMatyotyombeni (Pain of the Slums), which is made up informal settlement dwellers who believe they were neglected during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yesterday, the protests continued on Old Faure Road near Malibu Village and Wallacedene in Kraaifontein.
In Wallacedene, two cars were burnt, roads were blocked with mobile toilets, rubble and burning tyres as angry residents pelted motorists with stones.
In Eerste River Way, a bus was torched, but no injuries were reported.
Even with a heavy police presence in Wallacedene, small crowds gathered and started fires, quickly dispersing when cops shot at them.
Police spokesperson Colonel André Traut says Public Order Policing members were deployed to the troubled areas.
He says a case of culpable homicide has been opened for Albert, “who was killed when he was struck by a truck fleeing protesters,”
“In Malibu Village a case of public violence has been registered after a bus has been set alight, and suspects are yet to be arrested,” he said.
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Waste, Xanthea Limberg, said violent protests will not help anyone: “Providing services is a challenge when, due to unlawful occupation, residents settle on land that is not suitable for the installation of such services.
“The City is also not allowed to install services on privately-owned land without permission and in these instances, can only install services on the periphery, on City-owned land.”