Police station, vehicles torched in Limpopo
A police station in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, has been torched along with two state vehicles during a community protest.
Spokesman Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the incident happened on Tuesday night when community members from Phadzima village gathered and barricaded a road leading to the police station and then launched an attack.
“The members on duty tried to repel them by firing some shots, but were in the process overwhelmed by the mob of about 700. The police building was completely gutted and the police vans, that were recently allocated to the station, were also burnt,” he said.
The protest was over the disappearance of Mavis Mabala, 25.
More officers were deployed to the area and a manhunt for perpetrators ensued. Six people aged between 19 and 41 were arrested with more arrests expected, said Mojapelo.
He added that the torched police station was initially a satellite station.
“The building was initially used as a satellite police station. It was the same community that made a call and demanded that it be converted into a fully fledged police station. The call was answered as it meant taking policing services closer to the people.”