Koster - Protests in the Kgetlengrivier municipality have been suspended on Monday, pending the intervention of the inter-ministerial task team deployed to stabilised the North West province.
President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed a ministerial task team on April 25, to urgently assess the state of governance in the North-West province.
The team is headed by Minister in the Presidency or Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Residents in Koster resolved at a meeting in Reagile on Monday afternoon, to suspend the protest and requested to meet with a representatives of the inter-ministerial task team by Wednesday.
As part of the agreement, schools would be opened on Tuesday, workers would be allowed to go to their respective workplace, and municipal workers would be allowed to provide essential services.
The community would meet again on Thursday to pave the way forward.
Earlier, dressed in their school uniform, pupils from the Mphe-Bana High School staged a silent protest outside the Koster Magistrate's Court calling for the protest to stop.
PHOTO: ANA Reporter
They gathered at the court ahead of the appearance of 31 people arrested in connection with the protest. The learners held placards reading: "We have the right to education. #The strike must not interfere in our education".
A wave of violent protests swept through the Kgetlengrivier municipality on May 23, in the Reagile township, in Koster.
The small farming town west of Rustenburg was locked down as protesters went on a rampage.
Mayor Kim Medupe's residential home, a building she rented out and her guesthouse were torched, a supermarket and a councillor's house were also burned.
PHOTO: ANA Reporter
Six cars were also torched in Koster.
The protest spread to nearby Derby where a truck and car were torched.
In total 31 people were arrested, 16 in Koster and 15 in Derby, they were released on R1000 bail each in their case postponed to June 28 for a decision of the director of public prosecution.
The group is facing charges of public violence, arson and malicious damaged to property.
They were ordered not to participate in any protest pending the finalisation of their case.