Butchery petrol bombed in Soweto, 57 arrested in national shutdown unrest by 6am

Police minister Bheki Cele on Monday said 57 people had been arrested across the country. 

Speaking to the media in Mayfair, Johannesburg, Cele said most of those arrested were nabbed in Gauteng. 

“Most were found making fires, blocking roads and trying to prevent people from going to work. They were not peaceful,” he said. 

Cele alleged some were trampling on the roofs of parked cars. 

He said police had used minimum force and stun grenades to defuse the situation.  

Cele said community members were assisting to prevent looting of shops. 

He said they had received a report of an attack in Dube, Soweto where a butchery was petrol bombed early on Monday morning.

Activist Nhlanhla Lux earlier on Monday called on business owners to join members of the Soweto Parliament to protect township businesses. 

Cele, however, maintained the situation was mostly under control despite fires reported in several townships. 

“At this this point it looks like the situation is normal. People are going to work,” he said. 

In Cape Town, a bus was attacked but no injuries were reported.

In Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal protesters set a veld on fire.  

Police have collected 24,300 tyres in the country’s provinces. Most, around 10,000, were collected in the Eastern Cape. 

Cele said these were collected in strategic areas, including under bridges and on street corners. Police believe they were placed by protesters in preparation of disruptions. 

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