Baden Powell Drive in Khayelitsha, Cape Town was closed on Thursday afternoon while police removed an Nyala which was burnt during a protest on Wednesday evening. Residents of the nearby informal settlement are demanding electricity.
A police Nyala was burnt on Baden Powell Drive on Wednesday during clashes between police and protesters from Empolweni and Ethembeni informal settlements in Khayelitsha. The road remained cordoned off on Thursday afternoon.
Police spokesperson FC Van Wyk said Makhaza police have registered a case of attempted murder, public violence and malicious damage to property. “According to reports, members of Public Order Police Faure were attending a protest by approximately 180 disgruntled community members. Allegedly the crowd was pushed back using the police Nyala. When the members reversed to Baden Powell, they noticed smoke inside the vehicle, and they jumped out.
“Fire and rescue were arranged to extinguish the fire. The members did not sustain any injuries,” he said.
Residents of Empolweni and Ethembeni say they took to the streets to demand that their shacks be electrified after seeing electricity installation at a neighbouring settlement which they say was established after theirs.
Community leader Bulelani Qolani claimed police had parked the Nyala in the road where there were already tyres alight. “Residents ran away when the Nyala arrived.”
Resident Lwandiso Qanya said an official from the City of Cape Town visited the community in August and told them that because their shacks are built on wetlands, installing formal electricity would be a challenge. “Our shacks are located around an Eskom power station. The station is also on wetland, so we don’t see why we can’t get electricity,” she said.
Nosiphiwo Faleni said, “We burned tyres to get this land, water and toilets. We will now burn tyres to get electricity.”
Faleni said people no longer wanted to rely on illegal connections. Depending on the distance, wires to make these connections can cost R2,000 and the electrician fee another R300. “Sometimes when you open the door, the zinc sheet gives you an electric shock. We want proper electricity so that our kids can wash with warm water before they go to school,” she said.
The City of Cape Town asked GroundUp to direct questions to Eskom. Eskom spokesperson Zanele Bukani responded that the power utility gets its mandate from the municipality.
Four suspected were arrested and are due in court on Friday.
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