BY Obakeng Maje

Situation is still tense at  Moruleng near Rustenburg, where about 32 villages are involved in protest action.

These protests started again last night where protestors barricaded roads bringing traffic to a standstill. Consequently teachers could not reach schools and schools were closed for the day and workers were also affected. Especially  mine workers travelling from the surrounding places.

According to the information received at the time of release there are 36 people arrested in total, Moroleng accounts for 19 and Kanana 17 arrests made.

Amongst the people arrested it’s the two suspects who are facing charges of arson after one person was seen burning a business shop owned by an employee of Bakgatla tribal Authority.

“The other suspect was also charged with arson after he set alight a vehicle. All those arrested in Kanana were charged for public violence, while the charges of those in Moroleng differed” Brigadier Ngubane.

The charges ranged from public violence, malicious damage to property and Arson.

The major incidents that took place earlier this morning during the protest include the burning of a buss belonging to Bajanala Bus Company.

It is alleged that the bus driver was stopped, taken out of the bus assaulted before the bus was set alit, one suspect arrested was arrested in the incident. Second one is malicious damage and petrol bombing of  the house of the councilor at Moses Kotane Local Municipality, one suspect arrested on this incident.

Thirdly two trucks in Kanana were stoned and badly damaged.

The police continue making relentless efforts to instill order in the affected areas, appealing to the community to reach common ground and find better ways of expressing their frustration. Public violence and damage to property will never be the answer.