4 houses burnt in renewed Coligny protests
Coligny – Two houses have been burnt down and two severely damaged during protests in Coligny, following the release on bail of two farmers accused of killing a teenager.
Locals took to the streets of the farming town about an hour after Pieter Doorewaard, 26, and Philip Schutte, 34, were granted R5 000 bail each by the Coligny Magistrate's Court.
Doorewaard and Schutte are accused of killing Matlhomola Mosweu, 16. They claimed they caught him stealing sunflowers on April 20 and were driving him to the local police station when he allegedly jumped off their bakkie and broke his neck.
News24 journalist Jeanette Chabalala said police started firing rubber bullets at protesters who threw stones at police. It is not immediately clear how many protesters were involved.
#Coligny residents unhappy with bail being granted @News24 pic.twitter.com/DrC5jaJdso— Jeanette Chabalala (@J_chabalala) May 8, 2017
A large number of police officers were in the town.
Earlier, a homeowner pulled his pistol at journalist who was trying to photograph his burning house.
He shouted in Afrikaans: "Where is my pistol, where is my pistol?" while chasing journalists taking pictures of the house.
He manhandled a photographer. A Netwerk24 photographer’s camera lens was smashed while trying to separate the two.
The SA National Editors’ Forum condemned the incident.
Police Minister Fikile Mbalula on Twitter condemned the attacks on residents and the media. He said police would continue to monitor the situation.
SAPS is monitoring the situation at #Coligny. Condemn the attack on the people and Media.— RSA Min of Police (@MbalulaFikile) May 8, 2017
