Rustenburg - Two schools and a clinic have been set alight in Ramokokastad outside Rustenburg in the North West, the Baphalane Traditional Council said on Saturday.
Kwenatlase High School, Baphalane Primary School, a clinic, and a building used as a temporary office by the Baphalane Traditional Council were burned on Friday night, spokesman Mogotsi Ramokoka said.
"This morning [Saturday] the administration block at Ramokoka Primary [School] was also torched. It is not clear as to who is behind this or what triggered the incident, but it is believed the incident forms part of the ongoing violent protest that has since started in Ramokokastad in June," he said in a statement.
Five houses have been set alight since violence flared up in Ramokokastad in June. Schools and a clinic have been shut down since June 14, 2018.
"Kgosi [Manotshe] Ramokoka calls on disgruntled community members to cooperate with the task team appointed by North West premier Job Mokgoro in September this year to get to the root cause of the unrest in Phalane. He also urged the members to desist from causing any damage to any property," Ramokoka said.
The situation was described as tense in Ramokokastad on Saturday afternoon.
A group of over 100 concerned residents have set up a camp at the Union Buildings in Pretoria in a push for President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the plight of the Baphalane regarding the alleged misuse of community funds. They also want Ramaphosa to remove kgosi Joy Manotshe Ramokoka. They have set up camp at the Union Buildings since October 24.
On October 3, they marched to the North West provincial government offices demanding to know why premier Job Mokgoro had not appointed an administrator. They also want kgosi Joy Manotshe Ramokoka to be suspended or to step down while the investigating team do their work.
In September, Mokgoro announced the provincial government’s intervention in the troubled village. Intervention measures involve the appointment of investigators with clear terms of references relating to issues raised around the administration and good governance. The intervention came into effect from September 12. The provincial government's intervention is in line with the North West Traditional Leadership and Governance Act.