HOSTILITIES IN THE HARBOUR
Hangberg and the Hout Bay Harbour area were the scene of running battles between police and residents. Protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs and set off emergency flares while the public order police and local authorities responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.
A 14-YEAR-OLD boy was allegedly struck by a rubber bullet when Hangberg residents clashed with police during a violent protest in Hout Bay yesterday.
The teenager was reportedly shot in the mouth when residents and fishers took to the streets and blockaded the roads with burning tyres and rubble. He was injured as police moved in to disperse the protesters.
The City confirmed that two of its staff members were injured, with one officer hospitalised.
A woman and African News Agency photographer Henk Kruger were also injured in the chaos.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “Community members from Hangberg burnt debris and wooden benches in the middle of Harbour Road, which they took from the restaurant.
Protesters smashed the restaurant’s windows and other property was damaged,” Van Wyk said.
The protest was over the allocation of fishing rights and the delivery of basic services to the community.
It came a day after disgruntled fishers stormed the offices of the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries on the Foreshore, demanding an immediate suspension of the West Coast Rock Lobster fishing rights allocation process.
Yesterday, small-scale fishers blocked entry into Hout Bay’s Harbour Road by burning debris.
A member of the Hout Bay Fishers Community Trust Ikram Lamie said the protest started because the department had not responded to their memorandum, which they handed over on Monday.
“We gave DAFF 24 hours to respond and they failed to address our demands.
“The small-scale fishers were joined by the community because of the plight of our trade and our livelihoods, but they also wanted to bring attention to the greater service delivery needs of Hangberg,” said Lamie.
He asked the police to address the Hangberg residents, but they refused and used stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd when they had started to destroy more benches.
Members of 10 fishing organisations wanted an immediate meeting with Minister Senzeni Zokwana and other senior officials to address the challenges faced by poor fishing communities, but were informed that the minister was not in the country, Lamie said.
Mayoral committee member for safety, security and social services JP Smith said the metro police, tactical response unit and other law-enforcement agencies were deployed to assist police in Hout Bay.
“Rioters fired flares at the police and at a police helicopter and set fire to a police Nyala. The extent of the damage is unknown.”
Law-enforcement officers will extend their presence if necessary, he said.
dominic.adriaanse@inl.co.za