A nervous female police officer told the French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) by telephone: “The mob is now attacking. They are surrounding the building. They’re trying to break in.”
Earlier the police fired rubber bullets and water cannons to try and disperse thousands of protestors in and outside the town. A shop and a car were set alight, but not before the shop was looted. See the photos right and below.
“They stole from it yesterday. Why are they burning it now and where are we going to buy?” asked a woman.
The violence started on Sunday, apparently sparked by plans to merge Sasolburg with the Ngwathe local municipality which is part of Parys – the one in the Free State.
