President Cyril Ramaphosa has cut short his trip to the UK and has returned to South Africa to deal with the ongoing protests in the North West.
Ramaphosa has “noted, with serious concern, reports of protest and clashes between protesters and police”, the presidency said in a statement on Thursday.
Protesters continued to call for the removal of Supra Mahumapelo as premier of the North West.
The total shutdown in Mahikeng, which started on Wednesday, continued into Thursday and a cloud of black smoke moved gradually across the skyline.
Mahikeng has seen widespread violence, which started in Montshiwa township where a bus was torched and businesses looted on Wednesday morning.
The burning of tyres and barricading of roads spread to the Mahikeng central business district, forcing businesses to close their doors, before spreading to the villages surrounding Mahikeng.
Shops were looted and cars were stoned when motorists tried to force their way through barricades, especially along the road leading to the airport, south-west of Mahikeng.
Ramaphosa “called on all aggrieved parties to express their grievances through peaceful means and engagement rather than violence and anarchy”.
He has also “called on law-enforcement agencies to exercise maximum restraint in execution of their duties to return calm and normality to the province”, the presidency said.
Ramaphosa, who was leading a government delegation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, cut short his trip so that he could address an urgent meeting with structures of the ANC, the leagues, alliance and the ANC caucus in the North West, the ANC said in a statement on Thursday.
He will be accompanied by ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte and ANC NEC members deployed to the province, the party said.
The emergency meeting is set for 12pm on Friday in Mahikeng.