Her statement follows after the unrest that erupted in Kroonstad and Tumahole near Parys on Monday, which had elements of violence and resulted in the house belonging to the parents of the Mayor of Ngwathe Local Municipality, Councillor Victoria de Beer, being set alight.

Residents of Kroonstad and Tumahole took to the streets to raise issues of provision of quality water, youth empowerment, availability of sites for housing, the poor state of roads, and many other challenges.

Ntombela has since called for calm. "We are aware of the unrest taking place in the Moqhaka and Ngwathe Local Municipalities. Sadly, these protests have taken a violent turn and resulted in property damage, including the home of Mayor De Beer being set alight. Our people enjoy and are protected by certain rights, such as the right to peacefully protest. These rights, however, should not be abused and should not infringe on the rights of others.

"As much as we appreciate and understand the frustration, nothing can ever justify incinerating somebody else’s property. Such actions are often the work of criminal elements with selfish interests, who divert attention from the community’s genuine needs. We, therefore, urge our people to disassociate themselves from those criminals and also call on the police to act with the necessary urgency to bring those responsible for the mayhem to book," she concludes.

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