National Shutdown: Early Morning Protests in KZN Reportedly Thwarted

• Monday, 23 August, saw authorities successfully dispersing protests around Durban as rally groups obstructed Umgeni Road with ignited objects
• Those who actively participated in the rally spent the morning restricting access and passage via different roadways by obstructing them with ignited objects before authorities de-escalated the situation
• The SAPS received criticism from Dianne Kohler-Barnard, the Democratic Alliance's Shadow Security Minister, as she highlighted the alleged slow response of the SAPS in reaction to the protests

Authorities scattered a number of protestors in Durban on Monday, 23 August. Reports revealed that a group had set debris alight and scattered it along the main motorway of Umgeni Road in the city.

The demonstrators blocked roads with the debris and tyres in the early hours of the morning. The South African Police Service (SAPS) and Community Policing Forum (CPF) patrol members dispersed the protestors before things got worse.

Read also

Gqeberha erupts into violence after alleged altercation: "Insane"

Dianne Kohler-Barnard, Democratic Alliance's Shadow Security Minister, confirmed that a vehicle was burnt and proceeded to slam the SAPS for their alleged slow response, according to The South African.

According to TimesLIVE, the protests started around 3am on Monday, 23 August. Private security and CPF's communicating that there had been people gathering around the area. The report also stated that members of the public had also gathered in Verulam, north of Durban.

Both SAPS and Metro responded to the complaints and protestors were scattered before clean up actions began.

South Africans shared a number of responses to the early morning affair. Briefly News took a look at some of the messages left on Twitter, read some of them below:

@AfrikaZithande shared:

"And @sziks announced on national TV @eNCA that there will never be protests because the info is fake. @MYANC leadership caught napping again."

Read also

Video shows mom with baby on back walking pipeline across river, SA in disbelief

@MorokaMokwena tweeted:

"South Africa has a KZN problem."

@Cellular_Jnr added:

"Y'all have started again... Must we go back to the looting now?"

Possible planned protests have law enforcement officials on high alert

Previously, Briefly News reported that various safety measures are being put in place by authorities who are reportedly on 'high alert'. The cause for concern comes from the spreading of a number of social media messages in which a national shutdown is threatened.

The measures will help make sure that South Africans are safe and out of harm if a national lockdown does take place. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJOINTS) spokesperson, stated that they were aware of messages pushing for violence circulating on social media.

According to News24, Netshiunda went on to explain that the people who are the originators of the messages are being warned that the incitement of violence is indeed a criminal offence and members of the public have been requested to stop forwarding the messages.

Source: Briefly News