Angry residents closed down the N2 to Piet Retief on Wednesday, 10 October as they are disgruntled over service delivery.
Trucks have been set alight and protesters have blocked the road with burning tyres and large rocks.
This prompted the Ermelo Police, with the help of the Neighbourhood Watch, to monitor the scene as tensions ran high.
Three males were arrested on Thursday, 11 October in connection with the incident.
The suspects appeared in the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 12 October on charges of public violence and malicious damage to property.
A group of residents gathered at the court on Friday, protesting against the arrest of the suspects.
Emergency personnel on the scene had their hands full trying to extinguish fires to minimize damage after the crowd calmed down.
A classroom at the New Ermelo School in Nyibe were burned down on Thursday evening.
According to Msukaligwa Municipal spokesperson, Mr Mandla Zwane, the municipality entered into an agreement with the owners of portions 31, 35 and 39 of the farm Van Oudshoorstroom with the intention to do a township establishment of the New Ermelo area, also known as Nyibe.
“There were people already occupying the area and the intention was to formalize the area. “Hence the process of township establishment and installation of infrastructure, including communal taps and public lighting, was done parallel to each other.
“However there were challenges in the finalization of the transfer which resulted in the process of putting the infrastructure in abeyance.” Mr Zwane said.
According to Mr Zwane, the purchase of the property was a joint effort between the municipality and the Department of Land Affairs, and that the payment of the purchase price was apportioned among the state organs, however the issues were referred to the Department of Human Settlement.
“The municipality will explore other legal avenues which include the land expropriation in terms of the current Section 25 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.” he added.
The Executive Mayor, Councillor BJ Mkhaliphi, called for calm and condemned the action of destruction to government and private property.
“The office of the municipal manager appeals to aggrieved parties to raise their concerns with the office as the office is upholding an open door policy,” Mr Zwane concluded.
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