Police fire rubber bullets at Kliptown protesters – community leader

At least three people were injured when police allegedly fired rubber bullets at protesters in the Mandela Square informal settlement in Kliptown south of Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon‚ according to a community leader.

Gauteng police spokesman Colonel Lungelo Dlamini confirmed that residents had blocked roads in an apparent protest against a lack of electricity but said he was not aware of rubber bullets being fired. Nor was he aware of any injuries.

According to community leader and deputy chairperson of the Building a Cohesive Society (BACS) organisation Sipho Jantjies local residents were protesting because they had no electricity due to cable theft.

He said police had fired rubber bullets at the protesters after they had blocked roads with burning tyres and thrown stones at police.

“Two elders and a young boy were wounded‚” he said.

Police were still patrolling the area on Thursday evening‚ he added.