Four leaders of the Rural Economic Transformation Structure (RET) were arrested by the Middelburg Police on Sunday afternoon.

The leaders were arrested for illegally gathering at the Middelburg High Court after staging a protest, however, as of Monday morning, no formal charges had been brought against them.

RET members peacefully reconvened at the Middelburg High Court near the Witkerk and informed the Middelburg Observer that they were waiting for their leaders to be released from police custody.

Allen Ndlela, one of the organisers of the protest, explained to the Observer on Sunday that their protest was aimed at the Department of Justice due to its failure to protect farm dwellers against prominent mining companies.

The RET members claimed that there is an official within the high court who works with the mining companies to continuously issue court interdicts against them.

Currently, RET is faced with 12 court interdicts from the Middelburg High Court.

According to the members, whenever they attempt to engage mine officials about job opportunities, instead of finding alternative ways to communicate, the mines resort to obtaining court interdicts.

An RET member told the Observer that during the arrests, Allen Ndlela lay on the ground to demonstrate his peaceful intentions, but was allegedly kicked by about seven police officers.

The members said they hope all their leaders are receiving medical attention in the police cells, and want to be addressed by the Minister of Justice and the Minerals and Human Rights Commission.

• On Saturday, the police used rubber bullets to disperse the picketers, which resulted in injuries to six people, including a disabled person.

The demonstration began on Friday, with protesters setting up tents and placing mobile toilets near the old court building.