Ventersdorp – No arrests have been made in connection with Friday’s torching of a municipal building in Ventersdorp, North West police said on Monday.
“The are no arrests that I am aware of,” said Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone.
A raging fire gutted the municipal traffic department building on Friday following a protest against the merger of the Ventersdorp and Tlokwe (Potchefstroom) municipalities.
Residents in the two towns are against the merger, saying they were not consulted. Tlokwe residents said they believed the merger would lead to a disruption in service delivery.
On Friday, residents of the two areas staged a protest in their respective towns, highlighting their unhappiness about the merger.
Despite the timing of the fire, Mokgwabone insisted the burning of the Ventersdorp municipal building was not linked to the protest.
Forensic investigators were expected to comb through the building to ascertain the cause of the fire.
The fire started at the back of the building, completely destroying documents.
The building has been cordoned off and security guards are posted around it to prevent people contaminating the scene before forensic investigators start their work.
ANA