Advocate Seitlheko Maconi says services at courts around Mangaung have been negatively impacted. She says the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court, Batho court, Periodical Court in Bloemspruit, Child Justice Centre, and the Domestic Violence Court in Tshepong have also been impacted. Maconi says this is the result of the shutdown protests. Suspects who were set to appear at various courts were slapped by warrants of arrests but they will be stayed until Thursday.

"The courts were forced to issue warrants of arrests but we wanted to inform the public that those warrants of arrests have been held over until Thursday and the people who were supposed to have come to court today (Monday) must present themselves in court on Thursday 20 May 2021 in all the respective courts," she adds.

She says the said warrant of arrests may be cancelled because the magistrates or the courts are aware of the situation.

She says the courts have made it their business that the people who are expected to come to court to attend their legal matters are not arrested by the police.

At least seven protesting residents were arrested by the police on Monday and they are set to appear in court within the next 48 hours. This morning irate residents, who are protesting for better service delivery in Mangaung, closed off different roads leading out of the township. Residents used burning tyres, stones, debris, and different objects to close off these roads.

OFM News