Police spokesperson, Sabata Mokgwabone, says police fired rubber bullets at residents who gathered at a well-known food retailer after a confrontation with the manager. 

He says residents went to the retailer after the court appearance of several people accused of various crimes, including kidnapping, assault and murder. 

He adds that public order policing members swiftly responded and managed to disperse the group, following tensions between them and the police. 

Mokgwabone says after the police managed to disperse the crowd they then proceeded to the N12 road between Christiana and the town, where two trucks and one light motor vehicle were stoned.

Mokgwabone says the case against the accused was postponed to Wednesday, October 22.  He says no arrests were made but the police are still monitoring the situation in that area.

He, however, refuted reports that the town was totally shut down, and said such reports were untrue and lack substance. 

Earlier on Monday, a number of irate residents gathered outside the Magistrate’s Court near Boitumelong following threats of a shutdown in that area. 

On Sunday police issued a stern warning to residents of Boitumelong, following threats of a possible shutdown on Monday.

In February this year, at least seven schools and two health care facilities were shut down when police and angry residents squared off over allegations of gangsterism terrorising the community in the area. 

Three houses belonging to local police officers were also set alight while a fellow police officer suffered facial injuries after being hit with a stone following a squabble with the residents.

OFM News