Modimolle – Angry protesters in Modimolle targeted police officers’ houses and senior government officials’ properties as service delivery protests over access to clean water rumbled on in this Limpopo town.
Protesters burned police and municipality satellite offices on Tuesday after an earlier attempt to burn down local Modimolle municipality mayor Kgaretja Lekalakala’s house.
The protesters marched through the streets on Tuesday, barricading the road with branches, stones, construction pipes and pavement bricks.
The protest started on Friday after residents complained that they had had enough of drinking filthy water from the municipality. Locals described the water as a “coffee” colour and unhealthy to drink.
The situation turned ugly after protest leaders were arrested and street battles erupted between the protesters and police as authorities sought to bring the situation under control.
Over two hundred police officers from across the province joined the Modimolle police and were engaged in hours-long skirmishes with protesters.
While police were trying to disperse protesters, two local police officers’ houses were petrol bombed.
At a constable’s house, protesters had apparently found a woman in the house and ordered her to leave before they set the house alight.
Windows were broken and furniture also set alight.
As the situation unfolded, affected police members said described their loss as devastating. “I received a call from my colleagues and they said they are rushing to my house as protesters had burned it,” one constable told African News Agency.
“Now I am only left with the uniform that am wearing, all my clothes were burnt. I have nothing, I don’t have a place to sleep or food to eat. I am just here by myself.”
His five-room home was set alight and only a part of the kitchen survived.
Another police officer had his car and house damaged by protesters.
“They broke into the house, smashed my TV and pelted my car with stones,” said the warrant officer.
Relatives of the police officers said they feared for the safety of their family members.
Police spokesperson Ronel Otto confirmed that the police officers’ houses were burnt, but said they were yet to conduct an assessment. “We are going to assist them but at this stage we still have to assess the level of damage,” she said.
She added: “Now its difficult to make an assessment as protesters have blocked the roads.”
Earlier on Tuesday, a councillor’s car was removed from the Phakgameng settlement after it was stoned.
African News Agency
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