Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Marchers sow fear in South Peninsula
ANGRY Masiphumelele residents caused chaos in Simon’s Town and Glencairn yesterday when they marched through the suburbs, with police firing a smoke grenade at one point which caused the protesters to flee into an upmarket area.
Late last night, at the time of publication, a large police contingent was monitoring the informal settlement in case of flare-ups of more violence and will continue doing so today.
Some residents are angry one of their leaders Lubabalo Vellem, 35, was arrested last Thursday and held in custody.
Vellem applied for bail in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court yesterday, but the matter was postponed to Monday.
A group of residents, infuriated that Vellem was not freed, marched from the court building where they had protested for his release and made their way back to Masiphumelele on foot.
And that was when the chaos broke out.
After yesterday’s postponement Vellem turned to the public gallery in court and urged residents there not to protest.
Other community leaders also urged the hundreds of residents gathered outside the court to remain calm.
But a small group then broke away.
Police struggled to control the group of about 100 people and officers ran to shops in Main Road, Simon’s Town, warning them the protesters were coming.
“Close up, right now,” they shouted.
Shoppers then ran outside and to their cars, while workers peeked nervously from inside locked stores.
At the turn- off to Glencairn, police fired a smoke grenade at protesters who blocked the road. They