Thousands of people went on a rampage at a music festival in Rustenburg on Sunday, setting musical equipment alight, smashing car windows and damaging property in the streets surrounding the show grounds, police said.
Inspector Tyron Seate said about 30 000 people attended a concert arranged by a local radio station on Saturday night at the show grounds and many started rioting shortly after midnight.
”Most of them apparently got upset because the artist used by organisers as a drawcard did not perform live, but only cassette tapes were played and there was too much talking,” Seate said.
He said violence broke out shortly after midnight when people started smashing windows of office buildings and set a sponsor’s caravan and a beverage truck alight. They then went on to burn music equipment on the stage.
The violence then spread into the streets surrounding the venue where passing cars were stoned and shop windows smashed and carried on till about 3am on Sunday morning.
Seale said private security used by the organisers could not contain the violence and police did their utmost to normalise the situation, but battled because of the large number of people involved.
The local fire brigade managed to save the cooldrink truck from burning out completely, but severe damage was caused to a caravan and music equipment.
Seale said six people were arrested and police are busy assessing damage to property and could not tell how many people were injured.
The concert was apparently arranged by local radio station Radio Mafisa and people were charged R30 each to attend the concert. – Sapa