The alleged leader of a group of protesters that blocked off the road leading to two abalone farms at Buffeljagsbaai and set alight bushes last week was arrested and appeared in court on charges of public violence, unlawful eviction and malicious damage to property.
Lieutenant Colonel Winston Coetzee, Gansbaai Police station commander, reported taxis and other vehicles dropped off approximately 120 residents of Eluxolweni in Pearly Beach at the Buffeljags crossing last week.
“The police and Law Enforcement officials used rubber rounds to contain the situation and dispersed the crowd,” Coetzee stated.
A 32-year-old man believed to have been the leader of the group was arrested on charges of public violence, unlawful eviction and malicious damage to property and appeared in the Bredasdorp Magistrates’ Court on 21 February.
Last week’s protest action stems from a protest on 8 February, during which protesters handed over a memorandum to representatives of HIK and Viking abalone farms demanding the abalone farms should employ more residents from the township.
The protesters gave the management of the two farms until 15 February to respond to their demands.
They, however, were not satisfied with the feedback and decided to block off the road leading to Buffeljagsbaai and the two abalone farms last week.
Nontlahla Ndolomba, who works at one of the abalone farms and lives in Eluxolweni, said she was woken up by the sound of a large crowd approaching her home on 20 February.
“They didn’t say a thing, and just started breaking the windows and breaking down the home I share with my sister,” she recounted.
“They said I piemped those who wanted to strike. I left and called someone to pick me up and take me to Masakhane, where I live now.
“I went to the police station to make a case and asked the police to escort me so I could fetch my belongings. I am scared to go back to Eluxolweni, I don’t know what they will do to me.”
Ndolomba said most of her possessions were damaged during the incident.
“My microwave and TV are broken,” she said. “Almost everything was wet because it was raining.”
Anyone who can assist Ndolomba with kitchen appliances, bedding and materials to rebuild her home, can contact her on 060 356 5342.
