Provincial police spokesperson, Mmako Mophiring, tells OFM News that residents’ frustrations emanate from foreign nationals who have allegedly been selling drugs in the streets of Bohlokong. He says the residents held a meeting on Sunday 23 October 2022 to address the issue of drugs and that the meeting led to the current shutdown, which started this morning. Mophiring explains that some messages were doing the rounds about the planned shutdown earlier this week.

“For now, we understand that there are no learners that went to school. There are no taxis that are running around because the situation is still tense in Bohlokong, but as the police, we have been there since the early hours of the morning - from 2 o’clock - monitoring the situation,” he adds.

Mophiring further adds that the police had to disperse some protesters who have been attempting attacks at places where foreign nationals reside.

“So far no one has been injured and we have arrested ten protesters who have been barricading roads. For now, the situation remains tense in Bohlokong,” concludes Mophiring.

UPDATE: Frustrated Bohlokong residents at Bethlehem in the Free State allegedly torched the house and the car of a suspected drug kingpin in the area. Their frustrations emanate from foreign nationals who have allegedly been selling drugs in the area, according to the police. The situation remains tense.

OFM News