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Three buses and a truck were set on fire during violent protests in Khayelitsha on Thursday.
- An organizer of the protest admitted that he knew that the city of Cape Town would respond if they blocked the N2.
- Two 12th graders missed their math test after a protest action in Khayelitsha.
- Residents say the City has made empty promises regarding water, electricity and restroom supplies.
“By hitting the N2, we knew we were hitting the economy.”
These were the words of the Khayelitsha protest leader Mabhelandile Twani after the N2 highway to Cape Town was blocked on Thursday.
Three buses and a truck caught fire.
Twani, a member of the informal settlement movement that organized the protests, told News24 on Friday that by blocking the N2, they knew that Cape Town would respond to their demands.
“The protest would affect headquarters, the airport and even cargo,” he added.
Two 12th graders missed their math test.
Western Cape Education Department spokesman Bronagh Hammond said they were aware of two cases where applicants for tuition tried to arrive on time but were late.
READ | Three buses and a truck set on fire at the Cape Town protest, stranding the writers of the tuition exam
The education department reported that, in 18 of the 512 centers, the candidates were affected by the protests.
Twani said that most areas in Khayelitsha have been without electricity, water and toilets for the past six months, and the city of Cape Town said they have run out of budget.
“We are expected to practice good hygiene due to Covid-19, but how can we do that when we don’t have water?”
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said no arrests had been made.
The city’s executive director of safety and security, Richard Bosman, said all actors were monitoring the situation and would remain on the scene.
The education department said the candidates, who were late but managed to arrive within the first hour of the exam, were given the full three-hour period to finish.
They are in discussions with the basic education department about the possibility of a “back-up” document, if necessary.
“We cannot emphasize enough the importance of community peace and stability,” Hammond said.
“We call on communities to respect this and desist from any disruption that may prevent our students from reaching their exam sites.”
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