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Back in July, Hout Bay erupted into protests, residents angered by the City of Cape Town’s sluggish response to their housing needs.

We covered the hows and whys of that HERE, and it did seem only a matter of time until tempers flared once more.

Yesterday’s protests were also related to housing and service delivery, but were sparked by new fishing quotas.

Times LIVE below:

Fishermen armed with petrol bombs and rocks said they were angry about a reduction in the rock lobster quota by 60kgs from 110kg to 50kg for the six-month fishing season.

“How can we live with 50kg? That’s probably R9‚000 for six months‚ and the next six months? How are we going to survive?” said one.

Crayfisherman Alexander Plaatjies said they were upset that fishing companies with trawlers were allocated large quotas. He was also upset at the encroachment of private developments on land which “indigenous people” had lived on for generations.

“We just want service delivery. We can build our own homes‚ they must just tend to the basic needs of the community. We are entrepreneurs‚ we don’t live off (the government)‚” he said.

“These protests are about everything‚ all the problems are being highlighted in these protests.”

Known as a hot spot for tourists, those enjoying a day out in the Republic quickly saw things take a turn for the worse:

Protesting residents of Hangberg opened fire on a police helicopter and attacked tourists‚ boats and restaurants at Hout Bay harbour on Tuesday‚ sparking running battles with riot police…

Panicked foreign tourists took refuge inside a waterfront restaurant and about 150 were led to safety along the beach while a group of protesters looted boats in Hout Bay marina. Witnesses described numerous scuffles at the popular tourist site‚ including on board one of the Seal Island ferries.

Protesters attempted to set fire to the surrounding mountainside using flares stolen from marina boats‚ and police claimed flares were fired at a helicopter which was monitoring the unrest.

EWN put this video together, which shows exactly how enraged those protesting are. Warning, there is some graphic language:

A young boy, 14-year-old Ona Dubula, was shot in the mouth with a rubber bullet by police. This video is also graphic and should be viewed with caution:

This image, taken by local photographer Justin Sullivan, is pretty poignant:

A quick shout out to the members of the Facebook group Hout Bay Organised, who should hang their heads in shame for some of the comments about this teenager.

Seriously, some of what we saw on that group yesterday was nothing short of disgusting. Do better, be better, show a little humanity now and again.

The good news is that Ona did receive medical attention – you can find out more via GroundUp HERE.

More images from the protests via IOL:

Here’s Mariner’s Wharf director Shaun Bloch:

“We lost 11 of our tables and about 50% of our windows…People were rushing into the restaurant to find a safe hiding area.”

Bloch said the incident would only add to the area’s economic woes. “In the last three months the [tourism] figures are down dramatically. We employ about 170 people‚ about half of them from Hangberg‚ so this doesn’t make sense‚” he said.

It looks like there may be more trouble today, with someone posting this message on the Hout Bay Organised group at around 7:45AM:

There is a mob on the way to the market again. Please come help

We’ll keep an eye on what happens today.

[sources:timeslive&iol&ewn]