CAPE TOWN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chaos reigned in Cape Town as violent protests over poor service delivery continued in many parts of the city on Friday.
Police said they have detained dozens of people suspected of involvement in acts of violence since protests erupted on Thursday.
In the township of Lwandle alone, 20 protesters were arrested following an alleged land invasion.
During the protests, some people attempted to invade land belonging to the City of Cape Town, the city said in a statement.
The protests came as the country is preparing to hold its sixth general election on May 8 after the end of apartheid in 1994.
Protesters apparently took advantage of the election to outpour their grievances in relation to various issues ranging from high water bills, lack of electricity, poor sanitation and the slow pace of land reform.
A number of townships were under complete lock-down as roads leading to them were blocked.
Violent protests have led to the disruption of many schools across the city, said Debbie Schafer, member of the executive council (MEC) in the Western Cape provincial government.
Eight more schools were closed on Friday following the closure of 21 on Thursday, Schafer said.
At many other schools there has been low attendance. In some cases, learners who attend schools in other areas were unable to get out of their communities to their schools, according to Schafer.
Education is essential, and teaching and learning time should not be interrupted by people for their own agendas, he said.
"People have the right to protest peacefully but the violent nature of these recent actions is both concerning and unacceptable," Schafer said.
He urged the South African Police Service to act swiftly and decisively to restore order in affected communities so that teaching and learning can resume as soon as possible.
"It is high time that people destroying the opportunities of others are held accountable for their thuggish behavior," Schafer said.
The City of Cape Town said the protests were putting the lives of the public at risk and negatively affecting the city's ability to deliver services.
In some communities, rubbish disposal and health facilities have been affected, and the rail service was also disrupted because of the protests, according to the city.
"The violence, destruction of infrastructure, risk to public safety and the closure of major routes which in turn impacts the economy, can not be condoned," said JP Smith, Cape Town's mayoral committee member for safety and security.
Alan Winde, MEC for community safety in the Western Cape, said the protests were politically motivated and police should act swiftly to arrest the ringleaders.
