Nine people were injured during the Egoli service delivery protests outside East London.
This was the official toll, but people in the community said 13 people were shot and wounded when police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades.
Tear gas cannisters were also fired at the protesters in a second day of violent clashes yesterday.
The protesters told the Dispatch 13 picketers had to be taken to Empilweni hospital with injuries after they were shot at close range.
Provincial health spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said: “We treated nine people from the protest. Four had stab wounds, and five had rubber bullet wounds. They were treated and discharged from Empilweni healthcare centre.”
About 2000 residents took to the streets yesterday to protest against lack of housing and removal of their ward councillor Miki Witbooi.
The Black Road was closed from the Sunnyside and Woolwash intersection. Traffic authorities were advising motorists wanting to use the Mdantsane-East London link road, to use the alternative Amalinda main road, Cambridge main road or Voortrekker road.
When the Dispatch arrived at the scene, the area was engulfed in thick, black rubber smoke from burning tyres. Tear gas burned the eyes and nostrils.
Police were seen firing rubber bullets at groups which dispersed, then gathered again. This happened three times.
East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said public order policing used stun grenades and rubber bullets to “disperse unruly crowd and managed thus far to arrest six people in terms of the Public Violence Act. Despite opening fire, the community members are still continuing to burn tyres and other objects in the street at four different hotspot areas.”..