Watch: Rubber bullets fired as Mahikeng burns during protests and looting [video]

Residents of Mahikeng in the North West Province have had enough of officials from the provincial government putting forward shocking service delivery. While the delivery may have been minimal, the corruption levels have been sky high. As a result, the city is currently in tatters as tempers have now long since boiled over.

Mahikeng latest: Police Minister meets residents and Ramaphosa arrives

With protests continuing through Thursday night, bottle stores were looted and police had their hands full as they tried to protect the local shopping centre from becoming a free for all. By Friday morning, 23 people had been arrested in total

Police keeping a close eye on the Mega City Shopping Mall which was the focus of looters overnight. @eNCA #MahikengProtests pic.twitter.com/pENgg7pvLN

— Michael 🍏 (@TheMikeAppel) April 20, 2018

Things have become so bad in the last few days that President Cyril Ramaphosa chose to cut short his trip to the UK in order to head to the province. At 12:00 on Friday, Ramaphosa was meeting with ANC provincial officials as well as the party’s Secretary and Deputy Secretary Generals, Ace Magashule and Jessie Duarte.

WATCH Presidential motorcade arrives in #MahikengProtests. Ramaphosa expected to arrive at 12. CM pic.twitter.com/pYX9bTgDBT

— Clement Manyathela (@TheRealClementM) April 20, 2018

The area’s Arts and Culture Centre has also been set ablaze together with a hardware store. Shop owners have had no option but to look on in horror as their businesses were looted or went up in smoke.

#MahikengProtests a view from inside the Mmabana Arts and cultural centre. pic.twitter.com/PRyuBF5Sjl

— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) April 20, 2018

Offices were not spared. #MahikengProtests pic.twitter.com/Roj7szjo1m

— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) April 20, 2018

Residents try and douse out fires. #MahikengProtests pic.twitter.com/0FCv3tMXpy

— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) April 20, 2018

Visuals of the hardware store in Mahikeng after it was looted and set alight by protesters. #MahikengProtests @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/iDgIkNsiB3

— Iavan Pijoos (@iavanpijoos) April 20, 2018

Police deploying teargas to try and stop the looting of wooden planks from a stockpile on the N18 Vryburg road. #MahikengProtests @eNCA pic.twitter.com/kSV4VhRusK

— Michael 🍏 (@TheMikeAppel) April 20, 2018

The scene here in the township of Seweding near Mahikeng remains volatile. Residents continue to call for the removal of Premier Supra Mahumapelo and say if Ramaphosa does not recall him protests will continue. #MahikengProtests 📷: @Ihsaan_Haffo pic.twitter.com/HoEU9KeL2r

— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 20, 2018

Just before Ramaphosa arrived, Police Minister Bheki Cele met with residents and heard their concerns over corruption in the provincial government.

#sapsNW #Mahikeng Cluster: Minister of Police, Mr #BhekiCele accompanied by MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Dr Motlhabane, DNC for Policing, Lt Gen Masemola, Lt Gen Mawela and The PC, Lt Gen Motswenyane are currently visiting the area. ME pic.twitter.com/hxWsqm1XUo

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) April 20, 2018

“I am here to listen more than talk. The President, together with the Deputy President, will be having a meeting in the area at 12pm with the leadership of the ANC in the province to see what decisions need to be taken to make the situation better. After the meeting, the leadership will be able to brief you about the decisions of the meeting,” Minister Cele told the community.

Premier Supra Mahumapelo has been linked extensively to the Guptas. In his province, the controversial Mediosa mobile clinic was set up with a Gupta subsidiary company. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi called the clinics an “ATM for the Guptas”.

As things stand, residents insist that they will not stand down unless Mahumapelo steps down or is removed. Will Ramaphosa make it happen?