45 Strikers in court

MARAPONG - Streets surrounding the Lephalale Magistrate Court were cordoned off on Monday when 45 people appeared on charges of malicious damage to property, following violent protest action in Marapong last Thursday.
Outside the courthouse more than a hundred protesters gathered in support of the suspects. One of the protesters told Northern News that they were angry with police who, according to them, arrested the wrong people.
Police spokesperson, W. O. Frans Mokoena said the men were arrested when they set fire to an Eskom vehicle and damaged two police vehicles during Thursday’s violent protest action. Several shop windows were damaged during the protests, but rumours of looting could not be confirmed.
The case was postponed to 18 March and all 45 suspects were released on bail set at R500 each.
Meanwhile, protest action continued unabated this week in Marapong and residents struggled to get to work.
     “We are very scared to leave for work; they are blocking the streets and threatening us. At night I lock myself in my house,” a Marapong resident who wishes to remain anonymous told Northern News on Tuesday.