Earlier police fired into the crowd gathered outside the town council's offices.

The group want to see the town manager to confront him over the outbreak which began on August 22.

The council's gates were locked so the group moved to a nearby rugby stadium where they are being monitored by policemen.

A mayoral aide contacted by telephone told Sapa they were not yet ready to comment.

Methodist Minister Reverend Hamilton Ntuli said: "The council insulted people by saying they don't wash their hands."

He echoed claims made by the Treatment Action Campaign earlier this week saying more than the reported four people had died because of the disease.

Resident Sibusiso Mabena said: "They say we don't wash our hands after the toilet, we want them to resign."

Pointing to a sooty mark on her red dress, a Catherine Njonvu said, "they just shot me", referring to the earlier confrontation with police.

Two sets of delegations from the SA Council of Churches and the opposition Democratic Alliance were in Delmas to assess the situation themselves.

A representative of the newly formed National Democratic Convention was seen amongst the crowd jiving to the protest songs.

Sapa