ANA reports that no arrests have yet been made following the arson attack on the Bapo-Ba-Mogale tribal office in Bapong near Brits on Thursday and investigations continue.  

The tribal office was torched by irate members of the Unemployed Forum after they were allegedly not paid for three weeks.  They had been employed by the tribal authority to clean graveyards, roads and government buildings in a poverty alleviation project.  They were ultimately paid late on Friday night.  The Bapo-Ba-Mogale Traditional Council strongly condemned the torching of the tribal offices and said it had noted with great regret the carnage manifesting itself within the Bapo community.  The nonpayment had been because money normally paid over to the Bapo community in November had not been released by platinum producer Lonmin, which cited letters addressed to President Jacob Zuma from the community and the Mining Forum of SA.  The two groups had requested the suspension of Lonmin’s mining operation for failing to comply with its social and labour commitments.  Lonmin indicated that it has awarded significant procurement contracts with a combine gross value of R1.65 billion to the Bapo Ba Mogale

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