[Onthebarricades] SOUTH AFRICA: Police attack on protesting traders "like 1949 apartheid" - traders fight back

[Andy]

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20070605100008787C170807

Street scene 'like another 1949 riot'
          June 05 2007 at 08:00PM  
     
      By Miranda Andrew, Bhavna Sookha and Heinz de Boer

      Chants of frustration turned to screams of terror as the double detonation of a stun grenade marked the beginning of running street battles between police and disgruntled street traders on Monday.

      Heavily armed riot police waded into groups of protesting traders, using a water cannon, pepper spray and batons to disperse mobs that had blocked inner city intersections.

      There was chaos as traders ran to avoid police and shop owners in Prince Edward Street, Victoria Street, Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street (Grey Street) and parts of Bond Street and Short Street closed their shutters, expecting the worst. Traffic came to a standstill in the inner-city.
     


      'A water cannon was used and police had to monitor all movement from strategic points' 
The drama began when vendors surrounded police vehicles demanding to know why their goods had been confiscated.

Earlier in the day Metro police were checking licences of street traders and had confiscated goods. Street traders then started blowing their whistles, alerting other vendors that police were in the area.

After all vendors had shut up shop, they gathered together and surrounded a lone police van in the area. Back-up was called in and minutes later a huge contingent of police arrived, including the Flying Squad, Dog Unit and Crime Combating Units.

About two weeks ago hundreds of street traders marched to the City Hall to hand over a memorandum in protest over trading permits, high rent fees, lack of storage facilities and alleged police harassment.

The memorandum was accepted by the deputy city manager, Sipho Cele, who told the traders that they would get a response after seven working days. 

Traders retaliated when police started raiding stalls, saying they had still not received a response to their memorandum. 

Describing the scene, one onlooker said it was "like another 1949 riot".

As several members of the crowd allegedly stoned Metro police officers, the city's SAPS fleet in retaliation showered the large crowds using a water cannon.

Ally Fakroodeen, treasurer of ANC's Durban Central branch, was locked up in a police van after he intervened in a tense fall-out between a trader and police.

"When I saw the police hitting her, I intervened and a group of policemen roughly dragged me into their police van and locked me up," he said, a short while after being released by police.

Portia Mkhize, who was also arrested, said she fell when the water cannon started spraying the traders with water.

"There was no way I could run because I fell down and this is why I was pushed around and arrested. The police asked me why I didn't run - I couldn't because I fell down," she said.

Another vendor, Lindiwe Zuma, was among dozens who were pepper sprayed. She said she was caught by a policeman and sprayed in the face.

Metro Police spokesperson, Sen Supt John Thomas Tyala said their unit had made prior plans to check up on traders on Monday.

"Last week Friday, Metro Police was approached by the Support Business Unit to double check traders' permits to ensure people were operating legally. Metro Police sat down and set a date to check permits, which was today (Monday)," said Tyala.

"When police approached traders to check permits, that's when traders reacted harshly and chaos broke out."

Tyala said five people were arrested for disrupting the peace. He said he was unable to get confirmation that any of his members had been stoned.

Provincial police spokesperson Superintendent Vincent Mdunge said they had sent a large fleet into Durban central to assist Metro in enforcing the law.

"A water cannon was used and police had to monitor all movement from strategic points," said Mdunge.

He stressed that people should not deliberately violate the rule of law.

"As much as people have a right to protest, there are limit-ations when the rule of law is contravened. So if people deliberately violate the rule of law, we will arrest them," Mdunge said. City manager Michael Sutcliffe could not immediately be reached for comment.
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