Two people had head injuries yesterday morning after police allegedly fired rubber bullets at them during a protest in Needs Camp.
Hundreds of residents from Ezigodweni and New Rest under Needs Camp took to the streets around 6am burning tyres and blocking the R346 with logs and rocks.
Their action came to back demands that Buffalo City Metro (BCM) provide them with taps and running water.
The two areas depend on seven water tanks, some of which they claimed had not been filled up.
Pupils from Funiwe Senior Secondary School, who waited for the government scholar transport, were left stranded yesterday when buses could not pick them up in Phumlani village.
Motorists were also left frustrated as the busy route going to King William’s Town was closed and traffic re-directed.
Mxolisi Sadana, 68, was the first to be hit in the head by a rubber bullet yesterday.
“I was not even protesting, I was looking for one of the leaders during the whole chaos. I crawled away from scene fearing for my life, there was blood everywhere. I was rushed to the clinic where I received medical attention.”
Another victim was an 18-year-old pupil, Nkosikhona Sibiya, waiting at the bus stop.
He was shot in the head and neck with rubber bullets.
The Daily Dispatch team on the scene witnessed as Sibiya took off his school shirt off and covered his bloody head injury. He was rushed to the Needs Camp clinic and was later sent to Frere Hospital.
“The nurses said my injuries were serious and I had to be treated in hospital. Luckily nothing was left inside my wound. They put drip and I also went for an X-ray examination.
“I now have bandages on my head and my neck and I’m still in pain,” Sibiya said.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Marais said the police had not received any reports about injuries.
“If people are alleging that they were shot unlawfully, they must report the cases to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
“When the police arrived the protesters stoned the vehicles and even some of our members,” Marais said.
“We can’t turn a blind eye to violence,” he added.
The ward councillor in the area, Bathini Booi, said he supported the residents’ actions as they had been complaining about not having taps for some time.
BCM spokesman Thandy Matebese had not responded to questions sent by the Dispatch at the time of writing. — mamelag@dispatch.co.za