Violent street protests in South African town continue
JOHANNESBURG. February 16. KAZINFORM Although violent street protests continued for a third day on Wednesday in Wesselton, outside Ermelo, 220 km east of Johannesburg, the situation is slightly more subdued. Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
Talk Radio 702 n Johannesburg said there was a strong police presence in Wesselton, in South Africa's Mpumalanga province.
By Tuesday night, 44 protesters had been arrested and one killed. There was no clarity on how the protester died.
The South African Press Association (SAPA) said police were on Wednesday striving to restore calm to the area.
Moving back and forth, South African police officers tried to clear up the barricaded streets littered with burning tires, shattered glass, uprooted street signs and carpets of broken bottles and bricks.
SAPA said as soon as the officers moved to the next street, protesters came back to set tires alight and barricade the previous roads again.
Protesters threw stones at the police and the media, chanting "voertsek, voertsek" (go away) at the police as they danced with burning tires held with sticks. No injuries were reported by midday.
SAOA said the protests were believed to be over poor service delivery and a lack of work. Resident Keegan Cellan, said they wanted their area to be developed by the South African government. Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com for full version