Situation in Bloemfontein remains tense on Wednesday

The situation in Bloemfontein remains tense on Wednesday morning. This after community members said they were not happy that their leaders had agreed to call off their two-day shutdown protest before consulting them first.

There is still no public transport in Bloemfontein. Some frustrated commuters say if the situation continues they will lose their jobs.

As SABC News Aphumelele Mdlalane reports, some roads have remained barricaded with stones and rubble: 

Police have continued to monitor the situation.

The confusion comes after an urgent meeting between the provincial government delegation and the shutdown leaders which resolved to call off the protest action.

The meeting resolved to suspend the Mangaung metro municipal manager pending investigation of maladministration.

Members stranded at clinic

Some community members are stranded at the MUCCP clinic in Bloemfontein as they cannot get assistance due to the shutdown protest.

Residents who are on chronic medication say their health will deteriorate if they don’t get their medication. They say nurses are afraid of assisting them due to the shutdown protest.

Those who are on chronic medication say they understand the plight of the community but the shutdown protest is not supposed to put their lives in danger.

One says, “I take ARVs. Today is my date to get medication and we arrived here in the morning, but the nurses inside say they cannot open for us because of the protest. Now we don’t know what we will do.”

Another one says, “We are not getting medication, people say they are afraid to work. This is affecting us, we are here but we are not being assisted.”

The video below is reporting that the Mangaung shutdown protest has been called off:

Residents also called for improved service delivery and that they be prioritised when there are vacancies.

Meanwhile, 19 people including the security guard who allegedly shot a teenager will appear in the Bloemfontein magistrates court.

Police say the security guard fired shots in an attempt to scare the mob at a warehouse, resulting in the death of the 15-year-old boy, as outlined in the video below: