Roundup: Arson attacks continue in S. African township

Arson attacks continued on Thursday for the fourth consecutive day in the Vuwani township, Limpopo Province.

A total of 17 schools have been burnt down as tension intensified during protests over municipality demarcation.

Thousands of pupils have abandoned their studies.

Protesters also burned down a number of satellite police stations, tribal offices, clinics, libraries and municipal trucks, police said.

This prompted the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to condemn "in the strongest possible terms" the violent protests that saw no sign of abating.

Residents of Vuwani are reportedly protesting against a decision by the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) to incorporate the area under a newly merged municipality.

The Limpopo province has established a provincial task team to look into the issues in Vuwani.

"Whilst the ANC reaffirms the right of all South Africans to legitimate and peaceful protest, no amount of legitimate grievance or disaffection warrants the destruction of public or private property," ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

In the year that the country marks 20 years since the Constitution was signed into law by the late former President Nelson Mandela, the burning of schools is an insult to the democracy so many fought for, and others paid for with their lives, he said.

The destruction of public property, including schools, clinics and libraries, takes back the government's service delivery programme significantly and should be condemned, he said.

"The ANC calls on the law enforcement authorities to urgently investigate and prosecute those found guilty of this vandalism that only serves to delegitimize the protests and harms communities," Kodwa said.

Violent scenes were reported during the protests. Police tried to disperse the protesters by firing rubber bullets and water connons.

There was no immediate report of injuries, police said.

The protest took place last week after the residents in the area lost a High Court bid to have Vuwani excluded from the Malamulele Municipality, where service delivery was believed to be poor.

Protesters placed burning tree branches across the main road leading out of the town and pelted the approaching vehicles with rocks, witnesses said.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minster Des van Rooyen visited the area over weekend, trying to appease the protesters but to no avail.

Hundreds of police officers have since been deployed in the area to monitor the situation.

Motorists have been urged to avoid travelling in the area. Endit