Vehicle ploughs through peaceful protest in Observatory, injuring demonstrators

Two peaceful protestors were injured after a motor vehicle knocked them down and then drove off immediately during the G20 Women’s Shutdown on Friday, November 21.

Scores of local Observatory residents stood with members of the Singabalapha informal settlement, located near Main Road, Observatory, and near St Peter’s Square shopping centre, to make their voices heard. The protest, part of the G20 Women’s Shutdown, was organised by Women for Change (WFC), a non-profit dedicated to fighting gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

Maureen Witten, 70, from Claremont, and a 29-year-old man from the Singabalapha informal settlement were knocked down by a white vehicle after 12 noon as the peaceful protests were coming to an end.

Ms Witten’s daughter, Roslynne Richman, said she brought her mother to the demonstration so that they could stand in solidarity and support victims of gender-based violence.

Ms Richman said they saw that the traffic lights were red, so many of the demonstrators were peacefully holding hands in unity and singing songs, when a white vehicle ploughed through the crowd. 

“In a split second, the driver looked like he was reversing, then he accelerated forward, while my mum and the other male were holding hands,” she said.

As the driver accelerated through the crowd, a man landed on the bonnet and was then thrown off as the vehicle sped away, while Ms Witten was struck by the side mirror, hit the side of the car, and fell to the ground.

Ms Richman said they rushed her mother to Rondebosch Medical Centre, while her husband took the man to Groote Schuur Hospital.

“It is such malicious and toxic aggressive behaviour by the driver, we came out today to protest against all with the current GBV crisis that is taking place in the country, then this driver behaved in the manner that the protestors were calling for an end,” she said.

Ms Richman said her mother thankfully only experienced abrasions and bruising. 

“We are just grateful that she does not have any broken bones,” she said.

In a video, circulating on social media, it shows the driver in the white vehicle ploughing through the protestors while Ms Witten held on tightly to the man who was on the bonnet of the vehicle.

What made the day also significant, that many of the demonstrators were paying their respects to former Observatory Family store Pick ‘n Pay employee, Davidene Witbooi, who died in a shooting that took place in Heideveld on Women’s Day on Saturday, August 9, a few months ago.

Provincial police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg, said Woodstock police registered a reckless and negligent driving case for investigation following an incident.

Sergeant Twigg said the circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation, and no arrests have been made yet.

Anyone with information about this incident can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.

While the identity of the injured man was shared on social media, the Tatler could not reach the family of the victim for comment.