Alexandra Alex Shutdown

A road blockade in Marlboro, during the early hours of 19 / 6 / 2019 – Photo: Riot and Attack Info SA / Twitter

Alex Shutdown kicks off again: Protesters block roads with burning tyres

Discontent has resurfaced in Alexandra, as a fresh wave of the Alex Shutdown protests grip the town. Several commuter routes are affected.

Alexandra Alex Shutdown

A road blockade in Marlboro, during the early hours of 19 / 6 / 2019 – Photo: Riot and Attack Info SA / Twitter

The demonstrations which gripped Alexandra – the biggest township in Gauteng – have flared up once again this week. The Alex Shutdown began late on Tuesday evening, and have carried on through the night.

Alex Shutdown latest news: Johannesburg traffic updates for Wednesday 19 June

The Gautrain station at Marlboro was also targeted, with debris forming a blockade near the entrance. That has since been cleared by authorities in Johannesburg, but there are still several issues to resolve on Wednesday.

  • A number of taxi services operating near Alexandra have been disrupted or cancelled entirely.
  • Florence Moposho Street (Vasco Da Gama Drive) has been blocked off by Alex Shutdown protesters.
  • In an act of solidarity, protest action is also taking place on the R558 Impala Road at Emdeni Link Road, in Protea Glen.
  • There is also a heavy police presence reported from Alex Mall.

Why has the Alex Shutdown started again?

It’s believed that the issues raised by the community are the same messages they delivered back in April. The Alex Shutdown movement remain dissatisfied with the housing and overcrowding situation in the settlement.

Demonstrators have seen no progress in the past two months since Cyril Ramaphosa came to Alexandra and addressed residents. Illegal structures still remain in place, with more shacks being built on the sly.

Watch tyres burning, roads blocked in Alexandra here:

The shutdown is expected to intensify over the course of the day. The previous set of protests lasted for weeks, only calming before the 2019 Elections. However, six weeks after voting, patience has run thin in Alexandra.