As part of dealing with lawlessness and stamping the authority of the state following incidents of public violence that erupted in Brits, 42 suspects are expected to appear in the Brits Magistrate’s’ Court on Thursday, 2 May 2019, on a charge of public violence. An additional nine suspects will also be appearing in the same court facing charges of common robbery, linked to incidents of public violence.
It is alleged that during the commission of violent acts by some community members of Oukasie Location, suspects robbed keys from truck drivers and used the trucks to block several roads. This illegal act affected the flow of traffic in the area.
The suspects were apprehended following community protest that began in Brits on Monday 28 April 2019. During the protest, an unconfirmed number of members of the community barricaded roads and stoned motorists in and around Oukasie and Brits.
Police are still maintaining their presence in the area to ensure that stability is restored.
The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane condemned the conduct of protestors and cautioned that the police will not tolerate lawlessness, including barricading of roads and destruction of property.
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