Johannesburg - Hundreds of marchers gathered at the Zamdela police station outside Sasolburg in the Free State on Wednesday morning.
Dancing and singing, they demanded that Metsimaholo executive mayor Brutus Mahlaku step down because they believed he was corrupt.
There was a heavy police presence in the informal settlement.
Earlier, Constable Peter Kareli said police were ready for the march, which was scheduled to start at the arts centre in Zamdela at 10am.
“They will be going to the Zamdela police station to open a case docket against the mayor for corruption,” he said.
The marchers would then move to the council offices in Sasolburg, where a memorandum would be handed over.
“From the police side we are ready.”
Kareli said public order police from Welkom, Bloemfontein and Bethlehem had been called in.
He said the Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) would also be meeting the community in Sasolburg at 10am to give an update on the proposed merger, in 2016, of the Matsimaholo municipality, in Sasolburg, with the Ngwathe municipality.
In January, four people were killed, several were injured and hundreds were arrested in violent protests after the announcement of the planned municipal demarcation.
At the time, several cars were set alight and government buildings were damaged in Zamdela.
The merger was suspended following the violence. - Sapa