Home of mayor's mother torched in Parys during water protest

The home of the mother of the mayor of Ngwathe municipality in Parys, the Free State, was torched by angry protesters on Monday morning. 

Police spokesperson Sgt Sinah Mpakane said one room of the house was destroyed.

She said the protesters were protesting about water issues. 

“We've opened a case of arson. The case was opened by the state and at this stage, we have no value of the items destroyed.” Mpakane said. 

Mpakane said no arrests had been made yet. 

“We've arrested four people, three women and a man, for public violence,” she said. 

Mpakane said protests also erupted in other parts of the Free State including Kroonstad and Ventersburg, where people were also complaining about water issues.

During an interview with SABC radio station Lesedi FM, the mayor, Victoria de Beer, was too emotional to talk. 

“They burned my mother's house. My mother watched helplessly as they burned her house. I'm now taking her to the doctor,” she said. 

She was being interviewed by broadcaster Thuso Motaung, who had to cut the interview as the mayor was weeping. “I would not be doing any justice to continue with the interview when you sound like this,” Motaung said. 

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