Bekkersdal residents petrol bomb registration stations
Two voter's registration stations were petrol bombed on Saturday (8 February).
Residents of Bekkersdal went on the rampage during the past voter registration weekend by throwing petrol bombs on two registration stations and destroying IEC banners.
The Herald attended the scene and upon arrival, found only a few voting stations operational and very few people were seen to be registering to vote.
Defiant residents were seen throwing stones at police and operating IEC registration stations.
Tensions started to boil over after a group of Red Ants were deployed in the area to clean up the township.
Reports also indicate that residents of the area are still defiant and have said that they will not register to vote until ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa visits the township to address their problems.
According to a statement issued by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), two voter registration stations were closed on Saturday due to violence.
Constable Thembi Masango from Westonaria SAPS has revealed that 11 people were arrested on 8 February and two minors were arrested on 9 February.
While calm has been restored in the area for now, police presence is still high to prevent any possible further outbreaks of violence.
Watch this space as the story develops.
