Johannesburg - Fochville in the North West was quiet on Tuesday after service delivery protests last week, Gauteng police said.
“It is very quiet there now,” Sergeant Busi Menoe said.
On Tuesday Gauteng human settlements MEC Ntombi Mekgwe attended a meeting with representatives of Greater Fochville Concerned Citizens (GFCC).
Residents were unhappy because of slow progress in the development of land in Kokosi extensions six and seven. Last week protesters blocked roads with stones and burning tyres. A spaza shop, a bottle store, and a house believed to belong to a councillor, were set alight.
“There was really no reason to demonstrate so violently because already a process was underway to procure more land,” Mekgwe said.
On July 12, 200 hectares of land, purchased for R30 million, were transferred to the human settlements department.
“As for the extension six land, the owner has approached us again to offer the land and avoid expropriation,” she said.
The municipality had already installed services on the land in preparation for development. The final valuations for the land earmarked for extension six were expected in the next two weeks. A further meeting would be held next week.
Those present at Tuesday's meeting agreed the situation needed to return to normal and that children needed to be allowed back to school.
On Monday, 26 people arrested for public violence during the protest appeared in the Carletonville Magistrate's Court and were released on a warning, Menoe said.
The matter was postponed to September 30.
On Thursday, 25 people appeared in the court and were also released on a warning, Menoe said.
Initially, 36 people were arrested but only 25 appeared in court on Thursday because the others were minors.
Sapa