Youth Held Over South African Settlement Shooting

Police hunting a white South African youth who opened fire into a black squatter camp, killing four people, arrested a 17-year-old today after a manhunt with dogs and helicopters.

Police said they believed the attack on Monday on the Skielik informal settlement near Swartruggens, in the north-west of the country, may have been race-related.

"I assume that given the background, people are concluding it may have been a racially motivated incident," said Superintendent Louis Jacobs.

"But I can't say he did it because it was black people or whatever the reason may be because we haven't arrested anyone yet."

The suspect was arrested on a nearby farm.

A three-month-old baby, a 13-year-old boy and a man were shot dead at the scene of the attack. A fourth person died later in hospital. Nine other people were wounded, including the dead baby's mother.

Skielik residents told reporters the shooting occurred after two white youths were spotted near the settlement trying to damage railway tracks in an attempt to derail a train and drive it into squatter shacks.

One of the youths opened fire with a rifle and the pair ran off, leaving their pick-up truck behind.

Earlier today, police detained the father of the arrested youth on suspicion that his gun was used in the attack.

Neither the father nor son were named but the youth had been reported to the police previously for racist attacks.

The mayor of the Kgetleng River municipality, Welheminah Moleko, said she had previously raised the issue of continuing racial tensions in the area with the provincial government.

Hundreds of people blocked the main road leading into Swartruggens today in protest at the shootings.