ANA reports that hundreds of Stutterheim residents from the Mlungisi township were unable to access their social grants payments on Wednesday due to violent clashes between the police and protesters.  

Protests entered a second day on Wednesday, following break of a week from the protests, which began on 16 October.  Angry Stutterheim youths began protesting accusing Amahtlathi Local Municipality officials of nepotism, taking bribes in exchange for jobs and offering jobs in exchange for sexual favours.  They also alleged that the local municipal Mayor Pateka Qaba was not a resident of the municipality and was offering jobs to people who were coming from outside Amahtlathi.  They burned down the buildings owned by the municipalities of Amathole and Amahtlathi, a clinic and caused massive damage to infrastructure.  Protests began again at 4am on Wednesday, with protesters barricading roads with rocks, woods and burning tyres.  Clashes occurred as police moved in to remove the barricades.  Most businesses in town were closed down.  Two protesters were arrested for charges related to public violence and were due to appear in court soon.

• Read the original of this report in full at The Citizen

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