Police officer injured in violent Lephalale protest
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Genl Nneke Ledwaba condemned the violent protest in which a bus was also torched
LIMPOPO – A police officer was seriously injured after protesters pelted the police with stones during a service delivery protest in the Lephahale area on Thursday.
The protest, which started at around 02:30 at Ga-Shongwane 3 village in the Villa Nora policing precinct, resulted in the D3110 road between Ga-Shongwane 3 and Abbotspoort villages being barricaded with stones and branches to prevent buses from transporting workers back and forth.
A bus was torched during the incident.
The Public Order Policing members (POPs), were deployed in the area to stabilise the situation and 29 protesters, aged between 19 and 56, were arrested. During the arrest, the police were pelted with stones and one member was seriously injured, said Police Spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo.
All 29 suspects will appear in the Phalala Magistrate’s Court on charges of public violence, malicious damage to property and assault grievous bodily harm (GBH).
More arrests can be expected as police investigations continue, Mojapelo added.
The police urge anyone with information about those involved to contact Capt Ranhlatsweng Selokela at 082 469 0923, the 24-hour Crime Stop number at 086 001 0111 or their nearest police station.
The situation in Lephalale has returned to normal but POP members still monitor the area.
