Residents of Siqalo informal settlement in Mitchells Plain went on a rampage, accusing police of wrongfully arresting an innocent man.
Residents took to the streets on Wednesday evening demanding cops release the man.
As a result, Jakes Gerwel Drive was closed during peak hour, causing a massive traffic jam as motorists, buses and taxis were diverted.
The mense say Siyamdumisa Sitsha was busted following a truck hijacking on Monday afternoon. Community leader Thelma Tshabile claims he has been wrongfully arrested.
“He had been working and then it was lunchtime and he went home,” she says. “When he got close to his brother’s shack, there were a lot of people.
“He didn’t even get the chance to find out what was going on, the police handcuffed him and then took him away.”
Thelma says they followed up with the police, trying to understand why they arrested Sitsha.
“We went to Philippi SAPS to tell them that he is an innocent guy, he didn’t do anything wrong,” she explains.
“The response was that he was spotted by officers in the helicopter that was searching for the stolen truck, and that is a blatant lie.
“At the time of the incident, he was at work with a lot of witnesses.
“Maybe he was wearing the same clothes as the hijackers, but he is definitely not the guy they were looking for.”
Sitsha appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court o Thursday and was remanded into custody, sparking a riot.
“What frustrated the residents is that we went to court and we heard that he is not going home for another seven days as the police will do further investigations,” says Tshabile.
“The police said he was arrested while in possession of stolen goods.
“But he wasn’t dirty from the cement that was taken from the truck.
“This really hurt us because he remains in custody while the woman who was caught with the hardware goods was set free.”
The suspect will appear in court again on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, kwaad Mitchells Plain residents took to social media to express their frustration at once again being negatively impacted by violent protests on Jakes Gerwel Drive.
One woman wrote: “Once again us hardworking citizens need to put up with this type of behaviour, with fear on how we are getting home and this is happening as we speak and the bus I am in is yet still to either divert which means getting home much later or take a risk and drive right through it, by Siqalo informal settlement on Jakes Gerwel Drive only way into and out of Mitchells Plain.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said: “This office can confirm that about 30 community members protested Wednesday in Jakes Gerwel Drive, Mitchell’s Plain.
“The community protested against the arrest of a suspect. No arrests were made and no property was damaged."
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za