Superintendent Moatshe Ngoepe said about 3000 workers had been marching to the municipal offices when the protesters became violent and police were forced to fire rubber bullets into the crowd.

"They damaged the gate of the municipal entrance and they took all the dustbins and threw it [the rubbish] all around the streets. We intervened and during the process three people were slightly injured."

Ngoepe said 25 people - aged between 20 and 52 - were arrested and all faced charges of public violence, malicious damage to property and organising an illegal gathering under Act 205 of 1996.

The crowd dispersed after the incident but police were monitoring the situation.

Responding to reports that one of the people injured had not been part of the protest action, Ngoepe said this would form part of the investigation.

Sapa