Forty-nine people were arrested in Windmill Park, Boksburg, on Monday for public violence and malicious damage to property, Ekurhuleni metro police said.
Inspector Khobeli Mokheseng said the protesters, aged between 20 and 51, allegedly stoned a metro police vehicle and attacked two metro police officers who arrived at the scene first.
“When one of the officers got out of the vehicle to try and talk sense to them, one of them stole the car keys from the ignition.”
A man fled with the keys, while the rest of the protesters hurled stones at the vehicle.
The officer sustained slight injuries to his hand.
Residents of the Holomisa informal settlement barricaded roads with burning tyres and rocks on Monday morning. Barry Marais and Trichardt roads were closed to traffic.
It was not immediately clear what the cause of the protest was.
Mokheseng said on Monday afternoon that the protesters had dispersed.
Those arrested would be detained at the Dawn Park police station and were expected to appear in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court soon. – Sapa