Six men believed to be members of the Business Consortium in Potchefstroom were arrested for blocking municipal waste trucks from accessing the landfill site.

The group reportedly demanded contracts from the JB Marks Local Municipality.

North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the six were arrested on Tuesday during a disruptive operation.

They were arrested for extortion, intimidation, and robbery.

He said the men were reportedly part of a group that blocked JB Marks Local Municipality waste collection trucks from offloading waste at the Potchefstroom landfill site.

The group, known as Business Consortium, reportedly wrote a letter to the municipal manager demanding a meeting, which was eventually held on October 4. During the meeting, the group allegedly demanded jobs and threatened to close the landfill site.

The group closed the landfill site gates and prevented the trucks from offloading waste.

They closed the gate again on October 9 and barricaded the road leading to the landfill site with stones and other objects.

They allegedly forcefully took one of the truck's keys and used it to barricade the road.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) Tactical Response Team (TRT) and Public Order Police (POP) members were summoned to intervene, and the road was cleared. The six men were arrested.

Brownwell Magasi, 44, Adams Clint, 44, Stuart Scharick, 37, Majob Isaac, 40, Klaasen Fernando, 32, and Morne Draai, 36, first appeared in court on Wednesday, and the case was postponed to Thursday for formal bail application.

They were granted R1,000 each and ordered to report to a police station twice on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The case was postponed until November 16.

IOL