Nearly 30 supporters of embattled Durban mayor Zandile Gumede have been arrested following a day of violent clashes with police.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele refuted claims that seven protesters arrested outside the city hall and charged with public violence earlier in the day had been released.
“The seven who were arrested this morning are still in the cells,” she said
Meanwhile, Mbele confirmed that 22 others were arrested later in the afternoon after another confrontation between protesters and police at Gugu Dlamini Park in Aliwal Street.
#ZandileGumede police have fired tear gas at protesters marching to Durban Central Police Station to demand the people arrested during this mornings choas be released. Tensions have flared. @TimesLIVE @SundayTimesZA pic.twitter.com/q9QHuChoss
— Orrin Singh (@orrin417) July 11, 2019
Police are believed to have used rubber bullets, teargas and stun grenades to disperse a large crowd of supporters of the mayor, whose 30-day leave of absence was on Wednesday extended by the ANC pending the outcome of an investigation into a R208m Durban Solid Waste tender.
Gumede’s supporters are now calling on the ANC national office to intervene and heed their demands for her to be allowed to return to work.
They claim their calls have fallen on deaf ears at provincial level and are requesting that the party’s general secretary, Ace Magashule, address them.
You might also like…Gordhan whisked to safety as EFF MPs charge towards him in parliament
Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan had to be whisked away from the podium as EFF MPs charged towards him in attempt to prevent him from delivering his departmental budget speech in parliament on Thursday.
In a rowdy session that mirrored sittings of the fifth parliament under former president Jacob Zuma, 22 EFF MPs, led by one of their seniors, Sam Matiase, declared from the outset that they would not allow Gordhan to deliver his speech…Read more here
Source: Timeslive