Sasolburg residents barricade roads as protest continues

Residents of Zamdela township in Sasolburg, Free State continued to protest against municipal demarcation plans and barricaded roads this morning, police said.

“The protests started again just after 5am today. Main roads into the Zamdela township have been barricaded …tyres are burning,” said police spokesperson Constable Peter Kareli.

Learning had come to a standstill as children in the township stayed away from schools in the morning, he said.

The protests started yesterday when residents came out of a meeting about municipal demarcation.

They were apparently unhappy about plans to merge Sasolburg into the Ngwathe Local Municipality, which Parys falls under.

Nearly 90 people were arrested and charged with public violence yesterday after they went amok and looted shops in the township.

“More people were arrested at around 3am this morning as they continued to loot shops,” Kareli said.

The total number of those arrested since yesterday has not been officially tallied yet and it is estimated that almost 150 were arrested.

Those who were arrested yesterday are expected to appear in the Sasolburg Magistrates’ Court today to face charges of public violence.

- Sapa