The South African government on Wednesday condemned the use of children as human shields during protests. The government has noted with concern over a trend of using children during protests over poor service delivery, government spokesperson Phumla Williams said. She made the statement after a group of teenagers allegedly led hundreds of protesters who tried to burn down a police station as well as other municipal offices in Bronkhorstspruit, near Pretoria. "Government strongly condemns the use of children during protests as this puts their education opportunities in jeopardy. This is a violation of fundamental human rights that may hinder children's development, potentially leading to lifelong psychological damage," said Williams, who is also acting CEO of the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS).