Talks between Co-operative Governance Minister Lechesa Tsenoli and Bekkersdal residents deadlocked on Sunday, the SABC reported.

According to the report, some community leaders walked out of the eight-hour meeting after their request to have the Westonaria municipality placed under administration was denied.

Tsenoli said: "Putting a municipality under administration requires that the provincial government must put support systems to that municipality, which is confronting problems."

He said that the municipality was being offered support and that some of the residents' grievances were provincial and national issues.

During the protests residents' demands have included the removal of their mayor and local councillors.

Government properties have been vandalised and matric pupils taken out of schools to write their final exams elsewhere.

Protests were suspended last Sunday to allow government time to investigate residents' grievances.

The SABC reported that the Auditor General's office would probe allegations of corruption and maladministration in the Westonaria municipality.