Four people aged between 32 and 64 were on Tuesday, 8 May 2018, arrested following acts of public violence at Seleteng Ga-Mphahlele next to Lebowakgomo.
The police were summoned to the scene where community members were protesting.On arrival, the road had already been barricaded by the chanting protesters who were also hostile towards police. The hostility reached a boiling point when they started pelting police members with objects. Two members were slightly injured and one police vehicle had its windows smashed. One state firearm was lost during the fracas but was later recovered during subsequent Crime Intelligence driven operation in the area.
More reinforcements from Public Order Police were summoned to the scene and the situation was brought under control.
Meanwhile, five people aged between 20 and 35 were arrested at Ga-Seleka outside Lephalale after three big trucks and a bus were torched and used as barricades along the R572 road between Lephalale and Swartwater. The angry mob is fighting over chieftainship in the area. The destruction and the scattering of peppers across the road made it difficult for motorists to make use of the road.The situation has now been normalised and the local municipality has been engaged to help remove the barricades.
The SAPS Provincial Commissioner in Limpopo Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has condemned in the strongest possible terms the violent nature of the protest as manifested by the Ga-Mphahlele and Ga-Seleka communities and has urged everyone in the area to respect the rule of law by staging peaceful protest actions.
The arrested suspects will appear in Lebowakgomo and Phalala magistrate courts soon on charges of Assault on Police and Malicious damage to Property.
Police investigations are continuing.
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