It was a tough week for police in the Eastern Cape‚ who had to run for cover when they were stoned by protesters in Mlungisi‚ Stutterheim.
This follows weeks of clashes between police and Mlungisi residents. Protests in the area started on October 16.
In a video doing the rounds on social media‚ Wednesday’s clash occurred after police moved into the area to remove burning tyres‚ rocks and logs blocking roads.
Protesters pelted the police officers. The officers tried to disperse the crowd with teargas‚ rubber bullets and canisters. A few minutes later‚ police are seen running for cover.
Police spokesperson Captain Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed the incident happened during protests over poor service delivery.
“There were enough police officers‚ but the crowd was too much. The problem is the people were more than five hundred and they were scattered all over the area‚ so there was no real control‚” Mawisa said.
She said 17 people were arrested but 11 were released. The six are expected to appear in the Stutterheim Magistrate’s Court on Monday for public violence and malicious damage to property.
A truck carrying juice was looted and set alight on the N6 on Thursday.
Mawisa said calm had been restored to the area by Friday‚ but police were monitoring the situation.