Fresh anti-immigrant violence erupts in Johannesburg

by Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Fresh anti-immigrant violence which erupted Sunday in Johannesburg claimed one life and injured five others, police said.

"The confirmed number of people [rioters] arrested is 16 and police will continue to monitor the situation in the area throughout the night,’’ Police spokesman Capt. Kay Makhubele told local broadcaster eNCA.

A group of stick- and machete-wielding men marched through the streets of South Africa's largest city calling on African migrants to leave the city or face the consequences.

Police was forced to fire rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse the rowdy rioters mostly residents of the Jeppestown men’s hostel.

Makhubele said police has deployed more personnel to beef up security in all volatile areas in Johannesburg.

Most businesses remained closed on Sunday as shopkeepers feared being looted by the rioters.

Violence targeting foreign nationals started last Sunday with shops belonging to foreign nationals being looted for three days in a row. Relative calm was however restored on Thursday until Saturday but violence broke out again on Sunday.

Many foreign shops and others businesses including car dealerships were also set on fire.

There is high unemployment in South Africa where locals often accuse foreigners of taking their jobs. They accuse foreigners of unfairly competing with them in running retail businesses and want them to be stopped from operating these small businesses.

Locals also accuse foreign nationals of committing crimes, crowding social services such as health centers and also claim they benefit from social grants meant for locals.

Protesters in Nigeria responded with anger to violence in South Africa which targeted their nationals by looting South African owned businesses operating in Nigeria.

Telecom giant MTN, retail chain store Shoprite and television group MultiChoice were forced to close their outlets in Nigeria following the reprisal attacks.

South Africa also temporarily shut down its embassy in Nigeria following the attack, a ministerial spokesman told Anadolu Agency on Thursday.

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) announced late Tuesday it was calling off a planned international friendly match with South Africa's national team which was scheduled for Saturday in Lusaka.

FAZ said the decision was in response to ongoing anti-immigrant violence in South Africa. The African Union and other African countries have also condemned the attacks.