PROTESTERS NABBED FOR VIOLENCE
AND LOOTING

Potchefstroom – Ten people were arrested and charged with public violence following a wave of protests in Ikageng and Kanana near Potchefstroom.

They appeared before the Potchefstroom Magistrates’ Court on Friday 28 June. 

The suspects, aged between 18 and 46 years, took part in the three-day protests which stared on Monday 24 June. 

One of the suspects, a 36-year old man, was arrested after the protestors used an excavator to damage internal roads leading to Kanana and Top City.

The other nine were among the 300 residents from Extension 11 in Ikageng who barricaded the N12 road between Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom with various objects.

The protesters allegedly pelted the police and motorists with stones while goods were looted from a delivery truck. 

“The illegal act led to the closure of the road and motorists traveling either way between Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp were forced to use the Mooibank road as an alternative,” police spokesperson colonel Adèle Myburgh said.

The police are carrying out further investigations.

 
“At this stage, we cannot determine the worth of the groceries that were looted from the truck. These and other details will emerge during the investigations,” she said. 

She added that the extent of damage to the roads caused by the protestors would be established once the Tlokwe Local Municipality had carried out an assessment.