Calm has finally been restored in areas that were considered hotspots ahead of the country’s national elections.

Various communities took to the streets early on Wednesday morning to protest against participating in the elections.

Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said areas such as Sicelo informal settlement, south of Johannesburg, was calm after violent protests erupted leading to the R59 being barricaded with rubble and burning tyres.

“We have positioned officers at all voting areas in the province and have increased visibility in areas such as Sicelo informal settlement and Bekkersdal where residents have been protesting,” Peters said.

Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said tensions have simmered down in Dithakong, Northern Cape, where residents had vowed not to vote due to a lack of service delivery in their area.

“The situation has subsided and police have cleared the road where rubble was placed and are now monitoring the situation.”

Earlier, Brigadier Jay Naicker told SowetanLIVE that various parts of KwaZulu-Natal where communities had blockaded roads with rubble were cleared. 

“Residents blockaded roads with rubble and burning tyres from around 5am on the N2 near Umgababa, Lamontville, Higginson Highway in Chatsworth, and Ntuzuma,” Naicker said.

He said no arrests had been made as yet but police were monitoring the situation.