Actonville SAPS spokesperson WO Ramothakhi Maqabe said a 19-year-old man is also believed to be instigating xenophobic unrest in the area.
The suspect lives at the Actonville hostels.
Maqabe said there were unconfirmed reports that protesters fired live ammunition at police last night.
The spokesperson said tensions boiled over at 8pm, when a group of people threw stones at cars and businesses on Mayet Drive and Singh Street.
No damage to the shops was reported.
The SAPS and EMPD fired rubber bullets to disperse the protesters.
In an unrelated incident, a man was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm.
He was stopped by police on Singh Street, and the officers found an R1 rifle on the passenger seat, with nine live rounds of ammunition.
Click here to read about xenophobic protests in Actonville last week.
