PRETORIA – South African Police on Friday said they had arrested more than 140 people in connection with the face-off between locals and foreign nationals in the capital Pretoria.
South Africans converged in a march against foreign nationals in Atteridgeville, a low-income area in Pretoria West and came to clashes with some foreign nationals who were in turn protesting against the looting of their properties by locals. Police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the antagonistic groups, leading to the arrests of the more than 140, whose nationality composition was yet to be revealed by Friday evening.
Police also said they had been monitoring the march planned by the Mamelodi Concerned Residents from Marabastad to the Hallmark Building, which began Friday morning.
“We have noted with concern that, despite pleas from Government, random acts of violence, damage to property, stoning of police members and looting have been reported during the course of this morning,” said acting national police commissioner, Lieutenant General, Kgomotso Phahlane, who also gave the figures of thosee arrested.
“Although the group from Mamelodi protested peacefully, from early this morning a group of people from Atteridgeville blocked roads, burnt tyres and threw stones. They also, without authority to do so, marched on the central business district where they were dispersed after there was a confrontation with another group, apparently consisting of non-South Africans. This march follows periodic violence and looting over the past week.”
The 146 were arrested in connection with various crimes that included the looting that took place in Atteridgeville and Pretoria West Friday morning.
“We would like to thank all law enforcement officials deployed today and over the past week for professionally fulfilling their constitutional mandate to maintain peace, safety and stability. Despite the challenges associated with crowd management, they have exercised maximum restraint at all times while at the same time minimising disruptions and containing violence,” said Phahlane.
Phahlane added his voice to that of President Jacob Zuma and other government officials in calling for calm and tolerance.
“We also caution those engaging in violent and unlawful acts that the law enforcement agencies of this country will not tolerate such conduct and will act, within the confines of the law, to bring those responsible to book. Those who are inciting violence will also face criminal prosecution,” added the police chief.
The police commissioner also condemned the circulation of disturbing fake news, false messages and hoax images and videos purported to be from xenophobic attacks, which he blamed on some irresponsible social media users.
He singled out one video of a crowd sharpening dangerous weapons that was circulated as having taken place in Hillbrow on Thursday, when it had in fact been filmed in Durban in 2015.
“All must take responsibility for safety in South Africa and refrain from being part of the problem by spreading false messages and promoting hate. Fortunately, so far today we have not had reports of injuries as a result of violence. We will continue to monitor the situation.”