Johannesburg - Police say the situation in the Zandspruit informal settlement, west of Johannesburg, is calm and Beyers Naude is once again open to traffic.
On Wednesday, residents pelted cars driving along Beyer's Naude Drive with stones and eventually blocked the road with burning tyres. A large contingent of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Johannesburg Metro Police were deployed to the area to closely monitor the situation.
Gauteng police provincial spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Lungile Dlamini said last night a protester had to be rushed to hospital with a gunshot wound to his chest before midnight.
He said just before midnight some residents began looting at shops allegedly belonging to foreign nationals.
"During the looting process, a gunshot was fired and one protester was shot in the chest. At this stage we don't know who fired the shot, but police have already started with their investigations," he said.
Dlamini added that 12 residents were arrested on Wednesday for public violence.
Gauteng Local Government and Housing MEC Humprey Mmemezi visited the area and met with residents on Wednesday afternoon, but no agreement was reached to stop the illegal protest.
The MEC is expected to visit the area again this morning in a bid to find a solution that will restore peace and order at the informal settlement.
