Free State police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, says the incident occurred on Wednesday 21 April and it appears no one was injured in the torching. Furthermore, protesters petrol-bombed a police nyala, however, authorities managed to extinguish the flames, before any real damage was done to the nyala. 

OFM News reports that eleven people arrested in connection with the unrest this week, are appearing before the Theunissen Magistrate’s Court on Thursday 22 April.

Public Order Police continue to keep a close watch over the situation in Theunissen, as tensions appear to have calmed down for now. The Masilonyana Local Municipality is mum on the unrest, with no statements released on the protests or the torching of Koalane’s parental home.

The 21 people arrested in Winburg for public violence have been released out on R500 bail. They'll appear again on 14 May 2021. In the meantime, three more people have been arrested.

When the OFM News team visited Winburg at the start of the week, residents said they were unhappy that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2021 Freedom Day celebrations had been moved from Winburg to Botshabelo. The community saw Ramaphosa’s visit as an opportunity to vent their frustrations regarding service delivery concerns. Parts of Winburg have for years been without consistent water supply.

OFM News