OFM News was informed that the residents started barricading roads at midnight and are demanding that Free State Premier, Sisi Ntombela, come to address them and hear their complaints.

Police spokesperson, Sinah Mpakane, said six suspects have been arrested so far. She said they are expected to appear in court tomorrow in connection with charges of public violence. Meanwhile, high police visibility is being maintained.

“The residents have embarked on a complete shutdown. They were singing and chanting revolutionary songs since 02:00 this morning. The R7 road is blocked, shops are closed, empty Interstate buses were escorted out of the township, scholars and workers did not go [to school or work] today,” a resident of the Ikgomotseng Township in Soutpan told OFM News.

”On the memorandum, the residents are complaining about the unprotected water reservoir, open sewage dumps, a closed library, the separation of a combined school, incomplete community hall, roads construction, sports facilities, unfilled government vacancies, issuing of stands and building of RDP houses.”

“In the afternoon, the municipality deployed Mr Sello More to receive the memorandum of the grievances. While addressing the crowd, he mentioned that some of the issues require process and procedure, however, the crowd reacted by howling at him and police intervened by throwing teargas to disperse the howling crowd,” he further said.

This town is the latest of several towns across Central South Africa where violent protests broke out. This is a developing story.

OFM News/Marvin Ntsane