Seven hurt as protest at landfill site turns ugly

SEVEN people were treated for gunshot wounds after a protest turned violent outside the Bisasar Road Landfill site in Springfield yesterday.

Metro Police were at the scene when the irate crowd began throwing rocks and pelting police vehicles with stones. At least three Metro Police vehicles were damaged in the protest.

Metro Police spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad, said officers came under attack by the mob and called for backup.

“Officers fired shots into the air in a bid to disperse the crowd but they did not budge. They continued to throw rocks at police. Our vehicles were damaged,” he said.

Sewpersad said seven people sustained gunshot wounds but no serious injuries were reported.

“Ambulances arrived at the scene to treat the injured people. Seven were shot; of which two were taken to Addington Hospital and five to King Dinuzulu Hospital,” he said.

Speaking to The Mercury following the protest, one of the men at the landfill site said they were fed up of being chased around by police.

Rummage

He said that many people living at the Foreman Road informal settlement often went to the landfill to rummage through the litter for scrap items that they can resell.

“When police come, they chase us from one spot to the next. When we move away from the entrance (of the landfill site) they come and tell us to move somewhere else. This is how we make our money to feed our families,” he said.

After the shooting, the crowd dispersed and some made their way to the Sydenham police station where they stood outside.

Sydenham SAPS Communications Officer, Captain Myen Lazarus said they were not disruptive outside the station.

A team from the Independent Policing Investigative Directorate attended the scene.

Yesterday’s protest comes just days after two Durban Solid Waste trucks were burnt during similar action.

A truck, belonging to the city’s parks department was also burnt.

Traffic along uMgeni Road was backed up towards the N2 interchange yesterday due to the incident.