Additional members of the police's public order division (POP) have been deployed in the Zaaiplaas area outside Groblersdal in Limpopo after the torching of yet another school building.

Limpopo police said provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba had ordered the deployment of additional police to normalise the situation in the area after the administration block at Leriane Secondary School in Holneck village was torched on Friday night at about 10.30pm.

“The police and the fire department were notified after a passer-by noticed a flame of fire on top of the administration block of this school and reacted swiftly‚” said police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe.

“This incident follows two separate incidents which happened earlier when a police van was torched and a police officer injured and the torching of an administration block at Rehlahlilwe Primary School in Keerom in the Zaaiplaas area‚” he said.

Ngoepe said it was alleged that a group of community members had gone on the rampage and torched this building before running away.

“Since these violent protests started in the area‚ five suspects aged between 28 and 50 were arrested for public violence. The police are currently on the hunt for more suspects who also include ringleaders.

“The whole impulse erupted after a group of community members from Zaaiplaas‚ started to be violent following their protest actions which started a week ago by barricading the R579 road.

“Cases of malicious damage to property‚ assault and two counts of arson were opened and investigations are continuing‚” Ngoepe said.