Trucks parked across the Buffelsdale Road turn off to Tongaat as part of the fuel must fall campaign. Picture: Supplied Trucks parked across the Buffelsdale Road turn off to Tongaat as part of the fuel must fall campaign. Picture: Supplied
Durban - Police have condemned the actions of those who took part in the #FuelPricesMustFall protest that left major routes in and out of the city gridlocked on Tuesday morning.
KwaZulu-Natal police provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, criticised the protesters for breaking the law.
"There will be no negotiations with those who break the law and people found blockading our roads will be immediately arrested and detained.”
Mkhwanazi suggests protest organisers should protest legally to avoid inconveniencing citizens.
“If the organisers of such demonstrations follow due processes, proper planning can be done and the citizens of this province can be informed in advance of possible disruptions to their routines,“ he said.
He added that those who intend to hold any gathering are advised to familiarise themselves with the relevant legislation and ensure that they follow the necessary processes to guarantee that their activities are legal.
"If the organisers of such demonstrations follow due processes, proper planning can be done and the citizens of this province can be informed in advance of possible disruptions to their routines. Illegal gatherings and road blockades inconvenience everyone as a few individuals infringe on the rights and freedoms of thousands. No matter how legitimate your concerns may be, we will not allow any person to break the law. We have displayed this in various parts of the province where roads were blockaded,” Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi said.
Creator of the movement, Paul Jenkins, rubbished the arrests of those who took part in the protest.
He said the protesters blocked themselves and not the public.