Community members in Dopeni village went on the rampage and barricaded the main road from their village to Tshikombani on Monday night. The protest action is apparently in response to the murder of the 15-year-old Rolivhuwa Mphaphathi a week ago.

A suspect in this murder case was arrested on Monday. The community, however, was still frustrated with the slow pace in which law enforcement works and, on that night, more than 300 people barricaded the main road from Dopeni to Tshikombani with road signs, mobile spaza shops, burning logs and tires.

The community members said that they had had enough of individuals who terrorised women and got away with such crimes.

W/O Edward Tharaga of the Siloam police station confirmed that a suspect had been arrested after some community members had apprehended him and handed him over to the police.

On Tuesday morning, there was a total shutdown when community members engaged in a massive strike. Three schools were closed down by protesters, who wanted learners to join in the strike.

A woman who did not want to be named said that they wanted the police to bring the suspect to the community, so that he could tell them why he had done such an evil deed.

There are complaints within the community that the arrested suspect had named another person who had allegedly had a hand in the murder, yet the police had not done anything with the information.

Learners from different schools joined the community members and marched to the Siloam police station, barricading the road from Tshikombani to Siloam.

The police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the angry learners and community members who were chanting in front of the police station.

In a meeting held on Tuesday afternoon to try and stop the strike, community leaders requested the protesters to draft a letter requesting the strike to be legalised. The protesters, however, felt that the request was just a delaying tactic and they made it clear that Dopeni will remain a no-go area.