Three girls were injured when they were knocked down by a police vehicle in Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga police said on Monday.

"A police official was driving to the satellite station in Machiding when the incident happened on Sunday," Captain Klaas Maloka said.

The girls, aged 14 and 15, ran onto the gravel road.

"The police official tried to avoid the girls and in the process hit them and then overturned the car."

He sustained minor injuries. Local residents then gathered at the accident scene and threatened to burn the car.

"Police arrived at the scene and managed to move the crowd away."

The girls were taken to Philadelphia Hospital in a stable condition. - Sapa