The Police Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba has called upon all members of the community in this Province to keep calm and to raise their concerns peacefully without any form of disruptions and violence.
This call by the Provincial Commissioner emanated from the four separate violent incidents that occurred in the Mecklenburg, Sekgosese ,Hlanganani and Modjadjieskloof Policing areas yesterday on 2018-04-10.
In the Mecklenburg Policing area outside Burgersfort, the Police arrested nine (09) suspects aged between 28 and 36 for public violence.
These arrests followed an incident where members of the community in Ga-Manyaka Village went on a rampage and barricaded the main road to Marula Mine. Police were informed and responded immediately that lead to the subsequent arrests of nine suspects for public violence. Police restored calm in the area and the road was subsequently cleared and opened for motorists.
More arrests are expected and these suspects will appear before the Mecklenburg Magistrate’s Court soon.
Meanwhile in Sekgosese, Hlanganani and Modjadjieskloof Policing areas, a group of community members also embarked on protest action where they barricaded the inner roads and later went to barricade the R81 Road along Polokwane and Giyani near Mooketsi.
During these protest actions, tyres were burnt on the tarred road causing serious public disturbance including the disruption of schools and traffic flow.
Barricading roads during protest actions is a serious offence because it is tantamount to public violence and those who continue to engage themselves in these actions, are going to be dealt with harshly and without compromise, concluded General Ledwaba.
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Police arrested nine suspects for public violence during protest action https://t.co/FnNKT4W9qb #ArriveAlive @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/oa7zYWREg0
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) April 11, 2018