Forty-eight people were arrested for public violence in Matoporong township, in Reddersburg, on Monday, Free State police said.
Sergeant Ikobeng Hlubi said residents had been protesting about service delivery.
“They were throwing stones and damaged the municipal building, the library and the supermarket.”
The N6 in Reddersburg was closed because there were stones in the road.
Hlubi said locals were angry about an unsatisfactory response to a memorandum handed to the municipality three weeks ago.
“(The municipality) has managed to calm the community down and they are having a meeting now to address their grievances.”
Hlubi said the N6 should re-open later on Monday. – Sapa