At least six vehicles were damaged and police had to fire shots in the air to disperse the stone-throwing mob. Superintendent Andrew Bosilong told Mmegi yesterday that 18 youths, aged between 13 and 18, received two strokes and were freed while 21 others, aged between 20 and 25, refused to be punished and demanded to be charged and tried as required by the law. They will be tried on December 6 when six of them will face six counts of malicious damage to property. Bosilong said police were waiting for quotations from car owners.

However, some people who had been detained and spoke to Mmegi on condition of anonymity accused the police of making indiscriminate arrests. He said they were threatened and forced into a police vehicle without any explanation. He also accused the village authorities of being interested only in getting them punished while they always fail to take action every time a motorist kills a pedestrian. He suggested that village elders should send a delegation to the Minister of Works and Transport (Lesego Motsumi) so speed humps could be erected on the road as a matter of urgency.

The MP for the area and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Gladys Kokorwe, expressed concern at the rate motorists was killing people in Kumakwane.

She said she had no idea what should be done after the Roads Department stated that it was impossible to erect speed humps on the road."I also feel the pain. I have talked to the Roads Department and even invited them to Kumakwane, but people continue to be hit by motorists. Even the police often set up speed traps in the village but it is not helping," said Kokorwe.

Although she agreed that the youth might have lost patience with speeding motorists, she said people should never take the law into their own hands. She called on the residents to be patient.

Attempts to get a comment from Acting Director of Roads Ephraim Masimega were futile, as he was said to be in a meeting.