Three killed in violent protests in Cape Town

CAPE TOWN - Three people have been killed in protests against poor service delivery in Cape Town, authorities said on Tuesday.

"This senseless loss of life is unacceptable and on behalf of the City of Cape Town, I again convey my condolences to the families," Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, said in a statement.

The victims were all innocent civilians who died as a result of attacks by violent protesters, according to Smith.

On Monday, protesters stoned a truck, forcing the truck to veer and strike a barricade, leaving the 30-year-old driver killed, Smith said.

On August 3, a public bus was attacked by stone-throwing protesters and the driver was killed after the bus crashed into an informal settlement. A man inside one of the houses also died from his injuries three days later.

The protests also cost millions of rands worth of damage to municipal infrastructure, Smith said.

He said the city will do everything in its power to assist the South African Police Service in identifying and prosecuting the individuals responsible.

A 50,000-rand (about $6,000) reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of those attackers, Smith said.

"We welcome any information that will help in the successful prosecution of those people who are responsible for these deaths, the destruction of property, or who make themselves guilty of instigating or participating in public violence."

Cape Town has been hit by continued protests for almost two weeks. Organizers said they staged the protests after officials failed to deliver adequate water and electricity to poor communities.  

The protests were the latest in a series of riots that rocked the city where service delivery was deteriorating in the past recent years.