HUNDREDS of Hornlee residents blockaded the N2 highway outside Knysna with burning tyres late on Monday night in protest against unemployment and slow service delivery.

Southern Cape police spokesman Captain Malcolm Pojie said seven suspects, aged between 19 and 59, were arrested. They appeared in the Knysna Magistrate’s Court on charges of public violence and were released on their own recognisances.

One of the suspects was taken to the Knysna Provincial Hospital for treatment after being hit on the finger by a rubber bullet. He was warned to appear in court at a later date.

“(A) group of about 200 people burned tyres and blockaded the N2 highway,” Pojie said. “The police responded to the call and had to use stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.”

Community leader Neill Louw told The Herald the group had met in the township to discuss their grievances.

“Some of the residents went to the highway and burnt tyres.

“We were busy getting them to disperse when the police from Oudtshoorn shot rubber bullets. Some people were hit in the back, including innocent bystanders, and I know of four people who were taken to the hospital for treatment.”

Resident Ralph Stander said people were “fed up with useless and corrupt officials and councillors who don’t listen to the people”.

He said there were hundreds of people without work in Hornlee and no-one appeared to be interested in job creation. “If you go into Hornlee, it looks like a public holiday because people don’t have work.”

Stander said the highway was closed for about three hours.

“Those guys from the crime combating unit in Oudtshoorn showed up and shot rubber bullets into the crowd. They just shot left, right and centre, even though there were women and children in the crowd.”

By his reckoning, about 50 people were injured, although not everyone had received medical treatment.