Police arrest two of ‘ringleaders’ behind violence

POLICE in Limpopo have arrested two people who they believe are among the ringleaders behind the violent protests that have wracked the Zaaiplaas area in the past few days‚ resulting in school buildings and a police van being torched.

The suspects‚ aged 24 and 29‚ were arrested at Keerom village on Saturday night in an operation led by the SAPS Groblersdal Cluster commander‚ Brigadier Mafete Mogwaneng‚ in the Zaaiplaas policing area outside Groblersdal.

This brings to seven the total number of suspects arrested since the violence began‚ and police say more arrests are expected.

The operation followed a meeting between the provincial police commissioner‚ Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba‚ and stakeholders at which an agreement was reached to end the violent protests.

Police said the seven suspects would appear in the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court today on charges of arson‚ malicious damage to property and assault.

“This intervention follows the torching of a police van‚ administration blocks of Leriane Secondary School in Holneck village and Rehlahlilwe Primary School in Keerom and the injuring of one police officer in the Zaaiplaas area in [the] recent past,” police said.

“The drama erupted after a group of community members from Zaaiplaas became violent following protest action which started a week ago by barricading the R579 road.”