Six people have been arrested after an outbreak of public violence following a political dispute between two community groups in the Sterkstroom area near Queenstown in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday.
Eastern Cape police spokesman Lieutenant Namhla Mdleleni said the suspects‚ aged between 26 and 37 years‚ would be charged with attempted murder and malicious damage to property.
“This came after two groups in the community had disagreements with regard to local political matters. It is alleged that the quarrel started in town at about 1pm yesterday and resulted in members of the public vandalising the mayor’s house and proceeding to the township where they damaged eight private houses. Three were burnt down including that of the former mayor‚” Lt Mdleleni said.
“One male suspect‚ 35 years old‚ faces a charge of attempted murder after he allegedly took out his firearm and fired shots randomly at a rival group. The other five suspects have been charged for malicious damage to property. The suspects will appear in the Sterkstroom Magistrate’s Court on Friday‚ 9 October 2015 facing charges of attempted murder and malicious damage to property.”
Lt Mdleleni added that local as well as Public Order Police had been deployed to quell the violence and to maintain peace and order in the town.
“The situation is still tense and police will continue with their presence until all has normalised.”
The Queenstown Cluster Commander‚ Brigadier Pumla Mavuka‚ appealed to the Sterkstroom community to stop vandalising public property and endangering other people’s lives.
“There are other amicable ways of solving our differences‚ we cannot resort to violence. The police will arrest anyone who breaks the law and perpetrators will be prosecuted‚” Brig Mavuka said.
Six arrested for public violence in Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape police spokesman Lieutenant Namhla Mdleleni said the suspects‚ aged between 26 and 37 years‚ would be charged with attempted murder and malicious damage to property.
“This came after two groups in the community had disagreements with regard to local political matters. It is alleged that the quarrel started in town at about 1pm yesterday and resulted in members of the public vandalising the mayor’s house and proceeding to the township where they damaged eight private houses. Three were burnt down including that of the former mayor‚” Lt Mdleleni said.
“One male suspect‚ 35 years old‚ faces a charge of attempted murder after he allegedly took out his firearm and fired shots randomly at a rival group. The other five suspects have been charged for malicious damage to property. The suspects will appear in the Sterkstroom Magistrate’s Court on Friday‚ 9 October 2015 facing charges of attempted murder and malicious damage to property.”
Lt Mdleleni added that local as well as Public Order Police had been deployed to quell the violence and to maintain peace and order in the town.
“The situation is still tense and police will continue with their presence until all has normalised.”
The Queenstown Cluster Commander‚ Brigadier Pumla Mavuka‚ appealed to the Sterkstroom community to stop vandalising public property and endangering other people’s lives.
“There are other amicable ways of solving our differences‚ we cannot resort to violence. The police will arrest anyone who breaks the law and perpetrators will be prosecuted‚” Brig Mavuka said.
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