Police in Butterworth in the Eastern Cape have fired rubber bullets on protesting Butterworth residents as they headed towards the town.
The protesters are threatening to shut down the rural town calling for the immediate release of their leaders who were arrested.
Four members of the forum were arrested for the alleged killing of two suspects who were caught stealing in Msobomvu village in the town.
One of the leaders, Nombuyiselo Kasane, says police in the area are working with drug lords.
“We are picketing because we want to do away with amaphara and drug lords and the police are not hearing us, they are only listening to amaphara and drug lords. One of the reasons is that the community doesn’t have money and drug lords have money. Some of the police have been accused of receiving money from amaphara and drug lords. So the community decided to stand and say no, this is enough.”
A Facebook post by Moosa Plaatjie alerts the Butterworth community forum (utility service centre (clinics),pub, retail stores (supermarket, warehouses and wholesalers), schools and surrounding townships of the shut down.
“The reason for Total shutdown is to enforce support and retaliate to unlawful arrests.The community of Butterworth has had enough of criminals who are protected by the police” reads the post.
The post called on the support of the taxi industry which is urged to ensure that the public transport is rerouted and does not enter Butterworth town and it’s outskirts.
