Police spokesperson, Stephen Thakeng, says they suspect the burning of the trucks may be connected with ongoing service delivery protest action in the Kroonstad township of Maokeng because the towns both fall under the Moqhaka Local Municipality. Thakeng says they have registered a public violence case in the matter and investigations are underway to determine who the perpetrators are.

Meanwhile, a measure of calm has returned to Kroonstad after the situation descended into chaos on Thursday, with residents burning a post office and municipal cars in the process. 

Police have revised the number of people arrested in service delivery protests from 90 down to 51. Thakeng says the 51 people are still being charged and he expects they will appear in the Local Magistrate’s Court on Monday, January 15, on a public violence charge.

OFM News