N3 protesters due in court as mop-up operations continue
Police in KwaZulu-Natal says 54 people will appear in court on charges of public violence following Sunday's violent protest on the N3.
The 54 suspects will be appearing in a court in Mooi River on Monday.
Protesters forced the closure of the toll plaza last night after they torched more than 20 trucks.
KwaZulu-Natal's acting provincial police commissioner Bheki Langa has strongly condemned the protest action.
"This is totally unacceptable and we will not condone people venting their anger by damaging private and public property or blockading our national roads. We will intensify our operations and ensure that those responsible face the full might of the law. Any person who blocks our national roads will be treated as an ordinary criminal and will face the full might of the law.
"There are many avenues for people to voice their grievances and resorting to criminality is definitely not one of them," he said.
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The situation is calm today although the road is still blocked due to the trucks that were burnt. Police are still monitoring the situation.
The N3 Toll Concession's Con Roux says traffic is being diverted onto alternative routes.
"It is very difficult to put a precise timeframe on things at the moment but we are very conscious of the fact that there are many heavy motor vehicles that have been stacked for a protracted period of time. And of course, we have the other imperative of ensuring the road before the return traffic at the end of the long weekend. So all the necessary resources and effort is being put in to ensure the road is opened as soon as we can."