TENSIONS flared up on Tuesday as protesters in Philippi resorted to violence and set a Golden Arrow bus ablaze during the chaos.
The unrest stemmed from a demand for local community and business inclusion in the MyCiti transport project, currently underway on Govan Mbeki Road.
The two-day protests in the Ramaphosa Informal Settlement started on Monday and escalated into violence shortly after the construction crew left at around 5.30pm on Tuesday.
A bus came under attack and was set alight, but the driver escaped without injury.
Golden Arrow Bus Services spokesperson Bronwen Dyke-Beyer confirmed the incident.
Motorists were warned to use alternative routes as entrance into Govan Mbeki and Sheffield Road were closed off by burning tires in the road.
Ward councillor Bennet Payiya explained that frustration within the community has grown over a lack of transparency regarding employment opportunities associated with the MyCiti project.
Councillor Payiya explains: “They are not happy because business people want to participate on the work that is happening and the community wants to be involved but there is no clear agreement as to how many people will be participating on the MyCiti project.
“The project manager has been running away and the people of Ward 80 have been calling stakeholder meetings for them to come and do presentations and accommodate the community and business people.
“I met with protesters on Monday and they were furious. The City of Cape Town must try to speak to the project manager because he is one who is causing all this conflict so he can have answers for the community and business people.”
City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility Rob Quintas said they condemn the behaviour by protesters trying to keep the City from delivering services.
Quintas stated: “Residents from the Ramaphosa informal settlement engaged in protest action [on Tuesday], 24 June 2025 near to the City’s construction project site in Ward 80.
“The protest action started on Monday. It became violent shortly after 5.30pm on Tuesday, 24 June 2025 soon after the contractor (who has been working under armed guards, supported by both SAPS and City Law Enforcement officers), left the area at the end of the contractor’s day shift.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms any behaviour by extortionists masked as protesters that results in damages to public and private property and keeps the City back from delivering services to communities that need them most.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the report, however he added that no case was opened yet for investigation, despite claims of extortion.
Twigg said: “Nyanga SAPS, Public Order Police and the City of Cape Law Enforcement attended a protest action on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, in Govan Mbeki Road, where residents of the Ramaposa informal settlement staged a service delivery protest.
“We can confirm that a bus was set alight.”