All except one of the 15 protesters in Thubelihle, Ga-Nala outside eMalahleni were released.
The 14 men were released on Monday, September 15 by Kriel Magistrate’s Court.
The residents aged between 19 and 40 are facing charges of public violence, malicious damage to property and possession of stolen property.
Their arrests followed a violent protest which dragged on for almost the whole of last week. Protestors were accusing local mines and power stations of failing them by hiring people from remote areas such as Mbombela and KwaMhlanga and ignoring local residents.
“During the protest, the crowd pelted the police with stones, looted shops of foreign nationals and torched them and also burnt a traffic vehicle,” said Kriel police spokesperson Warrant Officer Nonhlanhla Kgosana.
Altogether 11 of the accused were released on a warning and three on R500 bail each. The matter was postponed to September 29.
“The other suspect who allegedly set alight a traffic vehicle, was denied bail because of previous convictions as well and appeared separately in court on Monday, September 22,” said W/O Kgosana.
