This is a summary of the protests that occurred over the period of: 10 June – 16 June
Summary of the Week:
27 protests were recorded.
Discussion of motive
12 – Unknown Motive
6 – service delivery (5 of 6 related to electricity)
1 – Housing
5 – COVID-19 (4 related to public services, 1 to cigarettes)
2 – Black Lives Matters
1 – Criminal Justice
Protest 1 – Motive unknown
On the 10th of June 2020 a protest occurred in Meyerton, Gauteng on the R59 resulting in a closed road. The motive of the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 2 – Service Delivery- Electricity
On the 10th of June 2020 Phumala Mqashi residents, Gauteng, protested over the disconnection of illegally connected electricity in the area. The protestors barricaded streets, preventing vehicles from entering the area and the protest escalated with residents throwing stones at the police resulting in the police firing rubber bullets at the protestors. Once the firing of rubber bullets started, the protestors dispersed.
Source: The Citizen
Protest 3 – COVID-19 – Medical Staff
On the 10th of June 2020 general workers at the Livingstone Hospital, Eastern Cape, implemented a go-slow protest against the non-payment of overtime and other issues. The go-slow has resulted in the hospital only processing critical patients as there is no space to accommodate other patients as the hospital is dirty and doesn’t have enough clean beds, linens, surgical gear and food for patients.
Source: EyeWitness News
Protest 4 – Housing
On the 11th of June 2020 residents of Hangberg, Western Cape, protested against the demolition of partially built house structures in the area. The protest included the police firing stun grenades and rubber bullets at residents as residents pelted the police with stones. The protest left 10 people homeless, while the City of Cape maintains that the destroyed structures were illegal and uninhabited.
Source: Daily Maverick
Protest 5 – COVID-19 – Schools reopening
On the 11th of June 2020 angry parents staged a protest at Mbazima Primary School, Mpumalanga, over the lack of screening, sanitisers, soap and water at the school. The students alerted their parents over the lack of screening and sanitisation at the school prompting the parents to go to the school, to see for themselves. Jasper Zwane, the Education spokesperson, stated that the Department would be sending an official to the school to assess the situation.
Source: Sowetan Live
Protest 6 – Motive Unknown
On the 11th of June 2020, the protest in Meyerton, Gauteng on the R59 resulting in a closed road, continued. The motive of the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 7 – Motive Unknown
On the 12th of June 2020, protest action was reported at Impala road, Doornkop, Gauteng. The road was blocked off with burning tyres and rocks.
Source:Twitter
Protest 8 – COVID-19 – Medical Staff
On the 12th of June 2020, staff at the Wilhelm Stahl Provincial Hospital in Middelburg, Eastern Cape, decided to protest after 25 staff members were diagnosed with COVID-19. The staff accused the Department of not being transparent about the severity of COVID-19 in the workplace as the hospital was not intensively cleaned after cases emerged and staff are being forced to work as they await their results rather than isolating once they are suspected of possibly having COVID-19.
Source: News Lite SA
Protest 9 – COVID-19 – Cigarette ban
On the 13th of June 2020 smokers in Cape Town gathered again at the gates of Parliament to protest against the banning of cigarettes during COVID-19 lockdown level 3.
Source: Twitter
Protest 10 – Motive unknown
On the 13th of June 2020 a protest was reported at Potsdam road, DuNoon, Western Cape. The motive for the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 11 – Motive unknown
On the 13th of June 2020 a protest was reported on the R41 and Randfontein road, West Rand, Gauteng. The protest included residents blocking the road with rock and burning tyres. The motive for the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 12 – Black Lives Matter – Rhodes Must Fall
On the 13th of June 2020, artists in Kimberely staged a protest against the statue of Cecil John Rhodes. The protestors stated that the statue represents a dark and painful past in South Africa and that it represents white supremacy, classism and racism.
Protest 13 – Black Lives Matter
On the 14th of June 2020 a Black Lives Matter solidarity chapter protested against police brutality, racism and gender-based violence. The group also requested that the school curriculum issues that disadvantage black pupils be fixed. The protest happened at Constitutional Hill, Gauteng.
Source: Twitter
Protest 14 – Service Delivery
On the 14th of June 2020 residents of Palm Ridge, Gauteng, blocked roads with bricks as they protested against the lack of service delivery.
Source: Twitter
Protest 15 – Service Delivery – Electricity
On the 14th of June, residents of Mmakau, North West, protested against daily power cuts.
Source: Twitter
Protest 16 – Motive Unknown
On the 14th of June 2020, residents of Protea Glen, Gauteng, blocked the road with rocks and burning tyres. The motive behind the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 17 – Service delivery – Electricity
On the 14th of June 2020, residents of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, blockaded the N3 between Spruitview and Vosloorus, in both directions and torched two trucks in protest against having no electricity for three days.
Source: Twitter
Protest 18 – Service delivery – Electricity
On the 14th of June 2020, residents of Bophelong, Gauteng, looted Somalian-owned shops in protest against the lack of service delivery, specifically power issues.
Source: Twitter
Protest 19 – Motive Unknown
On the 14th of June 2020, Plattekloof, Western Cape, a road closure was reported due to protesting, however the motive of the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 20 – Protest against Bail
On the 15th of June 2020, Tongaat, KwaZulu Natal, community members staged a protest outside the Verulam Magistrate Court opposing the bail of the 6 out of the 7 accused in the murder case of Bobo Mbuthu. The case was postponed due to two suspected cases of COVID-19 in the court.
Source: Twitter
Protest 21 – COVID-19 – Schools Re-Opening
On the 15th of June 2020, a group of Congress of South Africa Students (COSAS) staged a protest at Rhodes High School (Western Cape) against the reopening of schools and have requested that the Department of Basic Education need to a new plan to ensure students are safe at school amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Twitter
Protest 22 – Motive Unknown
On the 15th of June 2020, a protest was reported on Mary Thipe road, Westridge, KwaZulu Natal and included the burning tyres and debris. The motive behind the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 23 – Motive Unknown
On the 15th of June 2020, in Standerton/ Sakhile, Mpumalanga, the R23 road was blocked by protestors using burning tyres and debris.The motive behind the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 24 – Service delivery – Electricity
On the 15th of June 2020, residents of Mapetla and Molapo, Soweto, Gauteng staged a protest due to loadshedding. The protestors blocked a road with burning tyres and stones and threw stones at Rea Vaya buses, threatening to burn the buses and the passengers.
Source: Twitter
Protest 25 – Motive Unknown
On the 15th of June 2020, a protest was reported on Mary Thipe road, Westridge, KwaZulu Natal and included the burning tyres and debris. The motive behind the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 26 – Motive Unknown
On the 15th of June 2020, a protest was reported on Ziphunzana Bypass, East London and included the burning tyres and debris. The motive behind the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
Protest 27 – Motive Unknown
On the 16th of June 2020, Duinefontein Road, Western Cape, was closed due to traffic at Stock road caused by protesting at The Mall. The motive behind the protest is unknown.
Source: Twitter
About CABC
The Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) is a non-profit organisation. It was established to track and counter mis- and disinformation, fake news and divisive and polarising rhetoric that is promulgated online to undermine social cohesion, democratic integrity, and the stability of nation states.
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