Soweto quiet after morning protest, say metro police

25 February 2020 - 10:43
By Kgaugelo Masweneng
Police dispersed protesters in Soweto on Tuesday morning.
Image: Reuben Goldberg Police dispersed protesters in Soweto on Tuesday morning.

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) said there was minimal disruption from the #SowetoShutdown protest on Tuesday morning. 

The Soweto electricity crisis committee, which mobilised for a strike, is calling for a stop to electricity cut-offs and load-shedding.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) said in a statement that the government and Eskom were not taking the electricity supply crisis seriously.

“Gauteng residents and the surrounding areas are undergoing disconnecting of electricity. Some areas in Gauteng have not been supplied with electricity for months and, in some cases, years,” said the union.

Saftu will hold a briefing at its Johannesburg headquarters on Tuesday morning.

Wayne Minnaar, JMPD spokesperson, said there were no reports of injuries, damage to property or violence.

“There is a group of 50 people picketing on the corner of Chris Hani and Elias Motsoaledi roads. The other group of protesters started as early as 6am and about 7.40am they tried to block the roads with rocks but the police managed to disperse them,” Minnaar said.