Eleven people have been arrested in connection with violence that erupted in Diepsloot when residents were protesting their removal to Brits near Pretoria, police said on Monday.
Pretoria police spokesperson Inspector Percy Morokane said the eleven will face charges of arson and public violence when they appeared in a Pretoria court on Tuesday.
A Metro police officer was taken to Milpark hospital after he was struck by a brick during the protests, chief superintendent Wayne Minnaar said.
Earlier on Monday residents of the area — partly an informal settlement, partly proper housing — north-west of Johannesburg burnt two city council buildings in protest at their removal to Brits “without any reason”.
The residents were moved to Diepsloot from Alexandra in 2000 after flooding along the Jukskei River.
Resident Linah Magane said she works in Randburg, Johannesburg, and will not move to Brits as it will be too far for her to travel.
“I am not moving,” she said. “How am I going to travel from Brits to Randburg? It’s far.”
Many other residents also told the Mail & Guardian Online they have no money to travel to work from Brits.
They also complained that their children will need to get up at 3am to get to their school in Randburg.
When a community leader told the crowd to disperse they refused and shouted: “We cannot move from shack to shack. We must move from shack to house.”
One of the council buildings was completely destroyed in the fire. The inside of the second building was burnt, leaving remnants of files, condoms and gloves.
Protesters were seen looting the buildings, carrying out filing cabinets, chairs and desks. Files were scattered outside the buildings.
Tension remained high in the area, with police monitoring the situation. There was fears that violence might erupt again.
Irate protesters said that local councillor Sarafina Mulaudzi had recently informed them that they would be moved to Brits on July 14.
It was not clear why the city council wants to move residents. No one at the Johannesburg City Council’s housing department was immediately available for comment.
Morokane said the R511 highway from the R28 through to Diepsloot was closed to all traffic except some taxis.