WEDNESDAY, 6.00PM:
VIOLENCE erupted again in the Groblersdal area on Tuesday night, as demonstrators set fire to a truck and to the local ANC offices, in continued protests demanding that the area to be included in Mpumalanga Province.
Despite the tesnions, Constitutional Affairs Minister Valli Moosa failed to arrive to address a crowd of 15 000 residents in Bushbuckridge this morning (Wednesday) — for the second time in two weeks. Environmental Affairs Deputy Minister Peter Mokaba and Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi also failed to attend the meeting.
A heavy police presence in the area could not prevent angry residents from torching a truck towing a trailer from North-West Province, at Ramogwaerane village, and setting alight the ANC offices at about 10pm. Earlier in the day eight of 14 suspects arrested for torching a bus near Groblersdal on Monday night, appeared in the Nebo Magistrate’s Court, and were granted R600 bail each. Police say the situation has returned to normal, but schools in the area are still closed.