Police use stun grenades to disperse protesters opposing gentrification in historic Cape Town neighbourhood

Police use stun grenades to disperse protesters opposing gentrification in historic Cape Town neighbourhood

South African police and Cape Town Law Enforcement officers fired stun grenades at residents of a neighbourhood who tried to prevent a crane from entering the area.

South African police and Cape Town Law Enforcement officers fired stun grenades at residents of a neighbourhood who tried to prevent a crane from entering the area.

The residents of Bo Kaap have clashed with a local development company which is building high-rise apartments in the historic neighbourhood.

The area was known as the Malay Slave Quarter during colonial times as it was home to slaves that were brought to South Africa from Malaysia, Java and Indonesia.

Residents want the area preserved as a national heritage site.

After police fired stun grenades, the developers' crane entered the area, but it struggled to climb the hill and had to eventually be towed.

The crane then left the area to cheers from the residents.

The property developer, Block Development, recently sought to prevent local housing activists from protesting in the area.