• Bheki Cele has condemned the violence outside a Free State court on Tuesday.
• He called for protesters to be arrested.
• The protests flared up after a young farm manager was killed.

Police Minister
Bheki Cele has labelled the actions of protesters outside the Senekal
Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday as “lawlessness”, and called for those
found to have taken part to be arrested.

This after
demonstrators allegedly torched a police vehicle and stormed the court’s holding
cell, where two men, accused of murdering a young farm manager, are being kept.

On
Tuesday, Cele said the police had to use tear gas to disperse the “violent” group. 

READ
| Police van torched as armed farmers ‘storm holding cells
of Brendin Horner murder accused‘

“This
type of lawlessness can’t be justified nor taken lightly,” he added.

“There
is no logic when these protesters burn a police van, which is the same resource
that is meant to assist them. It is also baffling why the anger of this
community is being directed towards the police, when arrests have been made by
the police and the suspects are before the courts.”

Protesters try to push a nyala police vehicle outside court as tensions flared.

Mlungisi Louw

Cele said while the right to peaceful protest was part of any
democratic society and enshrined in the country’s Constitution, it came with
responsibilities.

READ
| Bheki Cele condemns ‘lawlessness’ outside Senekal court

News24 earlier reported it
remained unclear who was responsible for firing two gunshots during the
altercation at the court.

Boere Droogtehulp founder Chris
van Beljon, who was at the scene, said the shots were fired by the
police. 

“No, it was definitely the
police. No farmer shot anything, I can assure you,” Van Beljon added. 

Independent Police Investigative
Directorate spokesperson Ndileka Cola said it would decide whether to
investigate a case of police misconduct, News24 reported.