Protesters who smashed windows‚ stoned vehicles and damaged buildings in this week’s Fees Must Fall march to parliament left a trail of destruction that will cost more than R1-million to fix.
One law enforcement vehicle‚ four metro police vehicles‚ two SAPS vehicles‚ one MyCiTi bus‚ a private vehicle‚ Golden Arrow busses and buildings were damaged when protesters clashed with police in the parliamentary precinct on Wednesday in Cape Town.
Puma store in Braamfontein lost over R300‚000 of stock during looting
Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety JP Smith urged members of the public whose property was damaged to lay criminal charges because the city could identify protesters involved in acts of public violence on its CCTV camera network.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the total damage sat around R1.5- to R2-million … and for that reason we’ve asked the public to please go and lay charges‚” he told CapeTalk radio on Friday.
One shop owner told the radio station that his smashed windows alone would cost R70 000 to repair.
Social media was awash with images of protestors breaking windows during the chaos. Sullivan Photography ?tweeted an image of a chair being smashed through the window of a police vehicle.
Sullivan Photography on Twitter
One of the images posted on Facebook by Sullivan Photography captured the terrifying moment a family inside McDonalds scrambled to move their child out of harm’s way as protesters were about to break the windows.
Smith estimated damage caused to the city amounted to about R500 000 – mostly the cost of repairing busses and vehicles but also things like rubbish bins that were burnt. The cost would rise significantly‚ including damage caused to private property‚ he said.
“We actually emptied all the bins specifically before the march so that there wouldn’t be content to burn … people found stuff to set alight.
“We have video footage of the attacks but where the attacks involved private persons‚ those persons need to go lay those charges‚” said Smith.
“There has to be consequences‚” he said. “We are fully behind people’s right to protest but that protest must happen within reasonable limits and within the law.
“What we saw on Wednesday was just ridiculous and there is absolutely no good reason ever‚ anywhere‚ to burn down a bus which generally serves poorer commuters who were inconvenienced by this …. It’s madness.”
– TMG Digital
City Town urges members of the public to lay charges over #FeesMustFall protest damage
Protesters who smashed windows‚ stoned vehicles and damaged buildings in this week’s Fees Must Fall march to parliament left a trail of destruction that will cost more than R1-million to fix.
One law enforcement vehicle‚ four metro police vehicles‚ two SAPS vehicles‚ one MyCiTi bus‚ a private vehicle‚ Golden Arrow busses and buildings were damaged when protesters clashed with police in the parliamentary precinct on Wednesday in Cape Town.
Puma store in Braamfontein lost over R300‚000 of stock during looting
Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety JP Smith urged members of the public whose property was damaged to lay criminal charges because the city could identify protesters involved in acts of public violence on its CCTV camera network.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the total damage sat around R1.5- to R2-million … and for that reason we’ve asked the public to please go and lay charges‚” he told CapeTalk radio on Friday.
One shop owner told the radio station that his smashed windows alone would cost R70 000 to repair.
Social media was awash with images of protestors breaking windows during the chaos. Sullivan Photography ?tweeted an image of a chair being smashed through the window of a police vehicle.
Sullivan Photography on Twitter
One of the images posted on Facebook by Sullivan Photography captured the terrifying moment a family inside McDonalds scrambled to move their child out of harm’s way as protesters were about to break the windows.
Smith estimated damage caused to the city amounted to about R500 000 – mostly the cost of repairing busses and vehicles but also things like rubbish bins that were burnt. The cost would rise significantly‚ including damage caused to private property‚ he said.
“We actually emptied all the bins specifically before the march so that there wouldn’t be content to burn … people found stuff to set alight.
“We have video footage of the attacks but where the attacks involved private persons‚ those persons need to go lay those charges‚” said Smith.
“There has to be consequences‚” he said. “We are fully behind people’s right to protest but that protest must happen within reasonable limits and within the law.
“What we saw on Wednesday was just ridiculous and there is absolutely no good reason ever‚ anywhere‚ to burn down a bus which generally serves poorer commuters who were inconvenienced by this …. It’s madness.”
– TMG Digital
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos