The name of the 12-year-old boy who died in Coligny last week had not been officially confirmed on Wednesday after violent protests in the area since Tuesday afternoon.
Stanny Mnyakama, the principal of Setsetse Primary School in the area, told journalists outside a police station on Wednesday that the child's name was found on the bottom of his shoe.
But this name had not been confirmed by police who were talking to relatives about events that led to his death.
According to community members interviewed by HuffPost SA, the child was caught on a farm near Coligny in the North West last Friday. Two farmers then put the child on the back of their bakkie and wanted to take him to the police station. The child died in hospital on the same day. So far, this version is supported by community members.
But that's where the agreement stops.
Some community members say the child fell off the back of the bakkie and broke his neck. But some residents say he was beaten and fell on his face before he was loaded on to the back of their bakkie.
The police's Sabata Mokgwabone said two men were arrested in connection with the death.
Eyewitness News reported:
He says the arrest was as a result of a multi-disciplinary team that was assigned by provincial police commissioner Brenda Motswenyane last week.
"I can confirm yesterday we arrested two men and they were charged with murder. They are expected to appear in the Coligny magistrates court," (said Mokgwabone).
Some residents told HuffPost SA the protests began after the men failed to hand themselves in and no arrests were made. They believed the death had a racist cause.
Eyewitnesses said the looting of shops in the Coligny town centre began around 4pm on Tuesday. They then moved to the nearby township and continued looting, where people burned tyres.
The town was calm on Wednesday, although most shops stayed closed following the looting which occurred the previous afternoon.
An agricultural supplier was also set alight at around that time.
One of the largest irrigation equipment suppliers 'Agrico' just set alight in #Lichtenburg
How is the situation under control? #Colignypic.twitter.com/M6aztX3k7r
— Mohamed A Dabhelia (@madabhelia) April 25, 2017