Chaos erupts in Steytlerville

STEYTLERVILLE NEWS - Four people were hit by rubber bullets on Tuesday as police responded to the ongoing unrest in Steytlerville.

Tensions have been high in the town this week as angry residents protested against the return of contract workers from Limpopo, fearing they could be bringing Covid-19 to the town.

On Monday, tyres and old vehicles were set alight, and the main road blocked with rocks. On Tuesday, stun grenades and rubber bullets were fired by police to disperse the crowd.

The Department of Public Works contracted HBC construction company from Limpopo to build the new police station in Steytlerville, and work started back in 2018, interrupted in March by lockdown.

To prepare the site for restarting as lockdown regulations eased, on Saturday night a bus carrying 18 construction workers arrived back in the town.

Many local people were unhappy about this, concerned that the workers could bring coronavirus to the town. A large group of residents marched to the local clinic on Sunday, insisting that the returning workers be tested and not just screened, and also demanding that the construction workers leave the town immediately.

This did not happen, and on Monday morning, there was a large gathering of residents in the centre of the town, setting tyres and old vehicles alight, with rocks blocking the road. The local police called for reinforcements from the Public Order Policing unit in Port Elizabeth. Local councillor Danie Bezuidenhout met with HBC representatives, and the POPS members declared that they did not want to make trouble, but they were prepared to take strong action if necessary.

A meeting was arranged for 12 noon on Tuesday between the Department of Public Works, the contractor, SAPS and a deputation of local residents, and the situation calmed down.

On Tuesday morning, residents again came together, hoping to hear that the workers now had the necessary permits to leave the town and return to Limpopo. Piet Baartman, pastor of a local church, said that the residents were frustrated when they realised that the meeting was still taking place, and felt that they had been lied to by the officials.

A group of about 150 people had gathered in Sarel Cilliers Street and refused to disperse.

“POPS members warned them several times, with no success, and then used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd,” said Colonel Sibongile Soci, spokesperson for Eastern Cape SAPS.

Jean-Jacques Cross (30) was one of four people hit by a rubber bullet. “A senior police official told us all to stand apart, as we were not social distancing,” he said. “I went back and was standing alone by the wall when they just started shooting at people, and I was hit on the leg.” He described the scene as chaos with everyone running around screaming, including many children.

Rhoda Klaas (52) was not part of the gathering, but on her way to the local clinic when she was shot in the leg. These two victims were taken together by ambulance to the clinic, where their wounds were photographed and treated.

Meanwhile, in the meeting, Public Works officials explained that before normal building operations could be resumed, according to regulations the site would have to be prepared and sanitised. It was suggested that seven workers remain for this, and the other 11 return to Limpopo. The community rejected this, and more fires were started in the street, with children throwing stones at the police. Eventually, order was restored, and people returned to their homes.

The situation is now something of a stalemate. Eleven of the workers have been issued permits to return to Limpopo, and the remaining seven will stay in the two houses on the site to prepare for normal operations.

Old cars set alight in protest of contract workers from Limpopo returning to Steytlerville. Photo: Alton Mapoe