'I got out and ran' - man whose truck was burnt in Eldorado Park protest
8 May 2017
Johannesburg – The man whose truck was burnt during protests around Eldorado Park and Freedom Park, south of Johannesburg on Monday morning described running away after coming face to face with violent residents.
"I tried to turn around. My…[vehicle] got stuck on a rock," he said.
He then got out and ran away while the protesters overturned the truck and set it on fire.
The man’s name was not immediately available.
The protests began on parts of the N12 and the Golden Highway early in the morning.
JMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar told News24 that residents barricaded the highways with rocks and burning tyres.
"The N12 is now open, but the Golden Highway is still closed, there [are] still rocks and burning tyres on the road," he said.
"It is not yet clear what is the reason for the protests."
Commuters and News24 staff from Lenasia and Eldorado Park described long traffic jams, with some having no option but to turn back and return home after they could not leave their areas.
The Main Road entrance into Eldorado Park from the Golden Highway was barricaded with burning tyres. There was also a heavy police presence on the road. Roads in nearby Freedom Park were also barricaded with rocks.
The protests are believed to be linked to the allocation of RDP houses in the area.
