Situation calm in Siyathemba township
Feb 10, 2010 12:47 PM | By Sapa
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Fourteen of the 22 people arrested for public violence in Siyathemba earlier this week were granted bail when they appeared in the Balfour Magistrate's Court, police said.
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Balfour, township service delivery riot. Pic: ALON SKUY. 22/07/2009. � The Times.
They were granted bail of R500 each," said Mpumalanga police spokesman Sergeant Sam Tshabalala.
Four of the remaining eight cases were withdrawn, and four minors were referred for diversion programmes under the supervision of social workers.
Reports on their programmes would be presented to the court when they returned with the rest of the group on March 18.
Nine South Africans arrested during protests on Tuesday would face initial charges of public violence when they appeared in court on Thursday.
An Ethiopian was also arrested on Tuesday for assault.
Tshabalala said police were investigating whether these people arrested would be linked to crimes such as malicious damage to property and damage to a state vehicle.
Groups of people have been protesting in Balfour's Siyathemba township since Sunday.
At first they said it was because the local Burnstone Mine was not employing enough people from the community, but protesters later said they also wanted the removal of the town's mayor Lefty Tsotetsi.
Meanwhile, Balfour's Siyathemba township was "quiet" at midday.
"Now, the things are very cool. I can see smoke here and there, but there is nothing so serious that is reported," said Sergeant Sam Tshabalala.
There were piles of burning tyres and groups of people walking around, but no problems, he said.