Rustenburg - Eleven people were arrested for public violence following a protest at Mangaung metro in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, Free State police said.
Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane said members of Mangaung Concerned Community blocked De Villiers Street with vehicles, collected rubbish from bins in the vicinity and threw it on the road leading to Bram Fischer Building, housing the Mangaung Metro Municipality management and administration staff.
"The group also used stones and bricks to block the street," he said.
"Bloemfontein Public Order Police Unit members arrived at the scene and the operational commander warned the group at about 8am to open the street within a given time upon which they refused. The instruction was given to disperse the crowd and effect arrests at about 9am. Stun grenades were used and nine males and two females were arrested," he said.
A case docket of public violence, contravention of Gatherings Act and Road Traffic Act was opened at Parkweg police station.
"The representative of Mangaung metro municipality management also reported incidents of malicious damage to property inside Bram Fischer building. The motor vehicles which were used to block the street are being impounded by the police," Covane said.
The arrested 11protesters were expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
According to a news report on Bloemfontein based regional radio station OFM, Mangaung Concerned Community wanted the Mangaung metro council to be dissolved.
In a separate incident, Covane said five students at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein were arrested for public violence on Tuesday.
He said the students picketed at the main entrance of the university over unresolved issues with management.
"The protesting students became violent and started throwing stones at the police. A split group ran towards President Brand Street where they removed the pavement (bricks) and blocked the road with it. The command was given by the operational commander to execute arrests, five male students, aged between 20 and 34, were then arrested.
"A case docket of public violence, contravention of both the Road Traffic Act and a court order was opened at Parkweg police station. The arrested students will appear in Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, March 24" he said.
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