Five pupils from Cyril Clarke Secondary School have appeared before the Nelspruit Regional Court on charges of arson, SABC news reported on Wednesday.

The pupils were arrested on 24 September for allegedly setting their school's temporary library on fire.

The pupils were protesting about their eviction from the school building to "uncomfortable" temporary structures.

The move to the temporary structures follows the construction of the Mbombela 2010 soccer venue on the old premises of their school.

The pupils were released into the custody of their parents and the case was postponed to 17 November, SABC reported.

Sapa