Videos of Joburg CBD riots go viral after police and protestors clash

joburg cbd south africa economy recession gdp johannesburg mark hillary cc by

The Joburg CBD was a bit of a mess today after police and street vendors clashed on Thursday.

According to eNCA, vendors accused the police of harrassing them, as the former conducted a raid for counterfeit goods. Things quickly turned chaotic though, with chief of Johannesburg‘s Metro police David Tembe blaming “foreign nationals” for the riots.

By midday on Thursday, the streets of the country’s economic engine ground to a halt.

Multiple reports on Twitter, including videos and photographs, painted a messy picture.

Somehow, the scenes in the Johannesburg city centre took most of Thursday to become one of the social network’s most discussed events. Some grabbed their phones and recorded footage of the mayhem.

Streets in the Joburg CBD, including Jeppe, Troye, Delvers and Von Wielligh were affected, according to @TrafficSA.

The city’s Rea Vaya rapid bus transport system was also affected.

According to News24, three police vehicles have been vandalised. TimesLIVE also noted that the Joburg CBD is currently a scene of calm. (At least until the sun rises tomorrow morning).

Police are monitoring the area.

Feature image: Johannesburg skyline, by Mark Hillary via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Andy Walker, former editor
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