Protests: bid to resolve housing issues
A small group of residents in the KwaNonqaba area protested about housing issues this week.
Three suspects were arrested on charges of public violence following the protest action that started on Tuesday, 23 August.
Shortly after the protest started, the group gathered at the KwaNonqaba Police Station and then blocked certain roads in the area.
The Public Order Policing Unit was deployed and Louis Fourie Road as well as the N2 and Flora Road leading to Dana Bay had to be closed intermittently.
Mayixhale Street, Thembelihle Street, Sampson Street and Bill Jeffrey Avenue were also closed to traffic because of debris, including stones, on the road surfaces.
Mossel Bay mayor Dirk Kotzé met with the group at the police station on Tuesday but talks between him and the protestors were unsuccessful.
The protestors insisted that the three suspects should be released and that a contractor should leave a site in the area.
After that talks continued at the municipal offices.
Dana Bay exit
On Wednesday, 24 August, teams from the municipality's Directorate of Infrastructure Services inspected the emergency exit from Dana Bay, with the thought of putting it into use, as part of the Joint Operation Centre (JOC) contingency plan.
The route was ready for use that day and clear directions were made available on a video that was posted on social media.
With the JOC fully operational, a combination of drone and helicopter footage and community leaders and community safety professionals on the ground, kept Mossel Bay residents abreast of all developments.
Vandalism
At the time of going to press several meetings had taken place between the Mossel Bay Municipality, stakeholders in community safety and religious and community leaders to resolve the conflict.
Infrastructure was damaged, including toilet structures at a construction area, where windows were broken. Traffic lights were vandalised at the Dana Bay entrance, among others.
The Mossel Bay Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (UISP) project was disrupted due to the protest action.
The UISP posted on social media that protestors entered the UISP construction area at Transand Camp and demolished completed toilet structures that were built as part of the construction of enhanced services sites. Some of the installed water meters were also vandalised.