16 in court for Eersterust protests
Gauteng police say sixteen suspects are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrates' Court on charges related to the ongoing protest actions in the east of Tshwane.
Residents of Eersterust community have been protesting as part of their demands that officials intervene and solve grievances of high municipal accounts and a shortage of housing.
A local police station was attacked, vandalised and looted on Thursday night. Twelve of the suspects have been directly linked by police forensic investigations to the attack on the police station.
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"From the time the police station was attacked in Eersterust, there is an ongoing operation not only to apprehend the suspects for that incident, but to try and recover the other property stolen from the station," says provincial police spokesperson, Mathapelo Peters.
The others will appear on charges raging from public violence associated with the protest action, malicious damage of property and theft.
An elderly man also died reportedly after inhaling tear gas.
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While the police deny that the death is linked to the ongoing protests, Mathapelo said "we would appeal that the necessary processes and tests be allowed because as far we know, we cannot confirm unless it is confirmed by a post mortem report."
Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs, and Human Settlements Uhuru Moiloa visited the area on Friday in a bid to bring calm to the area.