WATCH | Two arrested for attacking police outside Burgersfort court

The police condemned the attacks on officers in Burgersfort in Limpopo which led to the arrest of two community members.

National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said in a statement on Wednesday morning that an “angry and violent” mob attacked police officers outside the Burgersfort magistrate’s court 

“The complaint was that the mob arrived at the court demanding that two alleged murder suspects be handed over to them for ‘punishment’,” Naidoo said.

“When the POP (Public Order Policing) members arrived at the scene they were attacked by the community, resulting in one female member being dragged on the ground and assaulted, followed by the police being pelted with stones. Fortunately, there have been no serious injuries reported. The female member was slightly injured.”

Steelburger News reported the community members gathered at the magistrate’s court for the murder case of school teacher Precious Magabane. The magistrate postponed the case to September 9 because there was no interpreter available for the suspect and Pakistani citizen Fraz Chema.

Naidoo said the officers withdrew as part of standard procedure, “averting what could have resulted in an even more disastrous situation”, and then used stun grenades to disperse the crowd.

National police commissioner General Khehla Sitole condemned the protesters for their “violent behaviour” and the “clear lack of respect for the criminal justice process”.

“The behaviour of the community before and during the attack of the police officers is clearly an attempt at undermining of the State.”

The police arrested two community members.