Over a dozen buses torched in Mamelodi

Protests have flared up in Tshwane over the ANC’s decision to put Thoko Didiza as its mayoral candidate.

FILE: This follows reports of entrances into the Atteridgeville, the current Mayor Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s home town, being blocked with burning tyres and rocks. Picture: Twitter @tshidi_lee.

Eyewitness News | 1155 days ago

JOHANNESBURG - The violent protests in Tshwane have spread to Atteridgville this evening, as an angry group has set over a dozen buses alight and blocked the main entrance into the township with rocks and burning tyres.

Reports suggest entrances into Atteridgeville, the current Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa's home town, are blocked with burning tyres and rocks.

Protests have flared up in the city over the African National Congress (ANC)'s decision to put forward Thoko Didiza as its mayoral candidate.

Putco Bus Comapny has retracted its earlier statement that 20 of its buses have been burnt and have revised their number to two.

Putco spokesperson Tshepo Tsotsotso said, "Some of our buses have been affected in Mamelodi and we are still quantifying the damage. This means our passengers may be affected tomorrow."

The bus company says it's working with law enforcement to ensure its buses and passengers are safe on the morning commute tomorrow.

At the same time, Prasa has confirmed their buses are among those burnt during the violent protests in Tshwane but cannot give an exact number as yet.

All entrances into #mamelodi are blocked by burning buses @enca @MyAnc #Tshwane pic.twitter.com/sG7BRWuppv

Peter Kotlolo (@Dozaamrepa01) June 20, 2016

Thoko Didiza, this is how Tswane welcome the decision pic.twitter.com/dtla8KYE41

Amukelani (@Cde_Amulet) June 20, 2016

Now in Mamelodi, they are burning Putco busses. Tsamaya is closed down. Where's @TshwaneANC in the middle of this?? pic.twitter.com/5oSxWO0gta

Solly Msimanga (@SollyMsimanga) June 20, 2016

PRASA busses burning in Mamelodi. Will the ANC ever call it's members to order. This can't continue pic.twitter.com/navJKwsHyI

Solly Msimanga (@SollyMsimanga) June 20, 2016

CRIMINAL CONDUCT

The ANC has urged the authorities to deal decisively with any person engaged in violence in Tshwane.

A Tshwane Metro Police car was flipped on its roof in Arcadia, a municipal vehicle vanadalised and buses torched in Mamelodi, and streets are being blocked with burning debris in Atteridgeville.

The party's Zizi Kodwa says the police should deal with people who engage in criminal conduct.

"If they are thinking all that is being done, the violence and so on, is done in the name of the ANC; it's done for individual interests and therefore law enforcement must be deal with it."

He says this does not warrant political intervention.

"It has nothing to do with the ANC when people burn tyres, destruction of property, people shoot one another and so on - that is not political activism, its criminal activism."

Kodwa urged members to accept the decision surrounding Tshwane mayoral candidate.

Meanwhile, images coming out of Mamelodi show the Stanza Bopape Clinic also on fire.

Stanza Bopape clinic in mamelodi on fire TONIGHT... @POWER987News pic.twitter.com/LX1ZPhGdmX

Denzil Taylor (@DenzilTaylor) June 20, 2016

Timeline

Comments

EWN welcomes all comments that are constructive, contribute to discussions in a meaningful manner and take stories forward.

However, we will NOT condone the following:

- Racism (including offensive comments based on ethnicity and nationality)
- Sexism
- Homophobia
- Religious intolerance
- Cyber bullying
- Hate speech
- Derogatory language
- Comments inciting violence.

We ask that your comments remain relevant to the articles they appear on and do not include general banter or conversation as this dilutes the effectiveness of the comments section.

We strive to make the EWN community a safe and welcoming space for all.

EWN reserves the right to: 1) remove any comments that do not follow the above guidelines; and, 2) ban users who repeatedly infringe the rules.

Should you find any comments upsetting or offensive you can also flag them and we will assess it against our guidelines.

EWN is constantly reviewing its comments policy in order to create an environment conducive to constructive conversations.