One-man protest brings Adderley Street traffic to standstill

A homeless man's unusual one-man protest brought traffic in Cape Town's busy Adderley Street to a standstill for more than an hour on Monday after he lay down in front of a stationary MyCiTi bus, demanding that the government intervene in his plight.

The man, who identified himself as Elton, refused to move from beneath the front of the bus, insisting that the government had failed him and demanding more SASSA assistance, water, bread and women.

The incident, which unfolded in the heart of the Cape Town CBD, drew crowds of curious onlookers as police officers attempted to persuade Elton to move away from the bus.

Elton repeatedly called on members of the public to record his protest and share the videos on social media, saying he wanted South Africans to see the lengths people had to go to for their basic rights to be recognised.

He insisted that the government come and remove him, refusing to end his protest despite the disruption it was causing.

Police respond as protest halts traffic

At one point, as an officer attempted to get him out from beneath the bus, Elton gripped the front of the vehicle so tightly that he nearly pulled off part of its front section.

His refusal to budge brought traffic along the busy route to a standstill for more than an hour, while crowds gathered to watch the unfolding drama.

A source told the Cape Argus that Elton was homeless and had allegedly been dismissed from a shelter.

According to the source, following his removal from the shelter, he made his way onto Adderley Street, where he staged his one-man protest in an apparent attempt to draw attention to his circumstances.

While his demands, particularly for more women, raised eyebrows among those watching, Elton maintained that his demonstration was about the government's failure to provide for people struggling to survive.

City confirms bus was not damaged

The City's Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas, confirmed the incident and said the bus driver had stopped after noticing the man in the road.

"The City can confirm that the MyCiTi bus D116 was travelling along Adderley Street towards the Adderley Station when the incident occurred.

"The bus stopped when the driver saw the individual who then laid down on the road in front of the bus. The individual was not harmed, and the bus did not incur any damages. SAPS removed the individual from the site," Quintas said.

The City's confirmation that the bus sustained no damage comes despite the commotion surrounding attempts to remove Elton from beneath the vehicle.

The incident ended when SAPS officers removed Elton from the road, allowing traffic to resume.

It remains unclear whether any charges were brought against him or whether he received assistance following his removal.