WATCH | Flat residents gripped by fear as hostel marchers threaten foreigners
They were reinforced by members of several private security companies before launching crowd-control measures.
Police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday after a splinter group of hostel dwellers from an anti-immigration march attempted to force its way into a city building believed to be housing foreign nationals, sending panicked residents scrambling for safety and motorists fleeing the area, amid reports of overnight violence and the looting of some shops in parts of the city.
Fear and anxiety gripped people living in flats opposite the building on Masukwana Street, as protesters kicked at doors in an apparent attempt to gain entry. Police officers, who had been monitoring the situation nearby, moved in swiftly as the crowd became increasingly aggressive.
They were reinforced by members of several private security companies before launching crowd-control measures.
Within moments, the sound of rubber bullets and stun grenades echoed through the street, sending protesters fleeing in different directions. The normally busy road descended into chaos, with motorists accelerating away from the scene while others swerved to avoid people running across the street.
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After the confrontation subsided, police and private security personnel regrouped outside the building and across the street, maintaining a heavy security presence as small groups of protesters lingered nearby.
The confrontation came despite the main anti-immigration marches in both Pietermaritzburg and Durban being largely peaceful and well-organised, although isolated incidents of violence were reported, including overnight attacks and the looting of some shops.
uMgungundlovu police spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala said that law enforcement maintained control throughout the demonstrations, preventing isolated incidents from escalating.
Police have remained deployed in the East Street area to ensure the safety of residents, businesses and march participants, with officers continuing to monitor the situation.
Gwala also confirmed that eight people — five men and three women — were arrested in the Mooi River policing area for allegedly inciting public violence. The suspects are expected to appear in court.
Some demonstrators accused police of provoking the crowd by using force.
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One protester, who declined to be named, alleged that several rundown buildings occupied by undocumented foreign nationals had become centres for drug dealing, claiming the problem had devastated many local families.
“My 21-year-old brother is addicted to drugs and now lives on the streets because of what is happening here. We will not rest until the issue of undocumented foreigners is resolved,” he said.
Police remained on high alert as tensions in the area persisted.
In Durban, the main march organised by the March and March movement started at King Dinuzulu Park and culminated in a gathering joined by thousands outside the SAPS Point police station.
Addressing protesters, March and March movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma vowed that protests would continue for as long as illegal foreign nationals remained in the country. She said it was unacceptable that the government was folding its arms as foreign nationals took over several sectors of the economy.
South African truck drivers are being replaced by foreigners. The Uber business has been taken over by foreign nationals.
“We demand our township economy to come back to South Africans,” she said.
Ngobese-Zuma thanked several political parties “for being with us”.
When it came to the ANC, Ngobese-Zuma only acknowledged Panyaza Lesufi. “When it comes to the ANC, we will only acknowledge the support by certain individuals who stood with us,” she said.
On Tuesday’s protest came as thousands of foreign nationals were leaving the country.
Ngobese-Zuma gave the government six months to remove illegal foreign nationals.
“The government should use all the resources it used to monitor us today [yesterday] to remove those foreign nationals selling drugs here in Point.
Should the government fail to remove the foreign nationals, we will embark on a protest march every Thursday.
Given that the government has spent R680 million to monitor this protest, it means it will spend this amount every week,” she said.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said the police remained on high alert nationwide. Cachalia was addressing the media in Pretoria on Tuesday evening reflecting on the happenings of the day and challenges encountered.
He said law enforcement agencies were deployed to facilitate peaceful and lawful protests while acting swiftly against violence, intimidation, looting or damage to property.
“The constitutional right to protest must be balanced with protecting the rights and safety of all residents, businesses and communities. Authorities are monitoring incidents reported in several provinces and will investigate any criminal conduct linked to the demonstrations,” said Cachalia.
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He defended the R600 million set aside for the operation of the day, stating that a lot of work had to be accommodated for. He said overtime was considered, and payment for police accommodation across the country was also considered.
He added that the R600 million allocated to strengthen policing was not intended solely for yesterday’s operations, but forms part of an ongoing security strategy that will continue over the coming days and months.
About 360 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested on Tuesday, while 11 arrests were effected for looting, and 291 for other common crimes.
Cachalia said there will be an oversight of the work done during this period and that will be headed by Defence Minister Angie Motshekga on Thursday.