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At least 2 killed in violent protest in S. Africa

Xinhua, May 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least two people have been killed and six others injured during a violent protest in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, police said on Monday.

The protest erupted on Monday when authorities tried to remove shacks that had been illegally built on a piece of land near a shopping mall, Pretoria Metro Police said.

Previous reports said that between six and nine people were killed.

Authorities were "still gathering numbers" to confirm the exact number of deaths, police spokesperson Captain Tsekiso Mofokeng said.

The two victims were believed to be employees of Red Ants, a security company. They were killed by a mob when trying to evict occupants from the shacks, witnesses said.

A large contingent of police has been dispatched to the area after the protest turned violent, during which buses were burned, passing vehicles were attacked with rocks and roads were barricaded.

Mofokeng said police had taken control of the area and everything was calm. Enditem