Calm has returned to the streets of Pretoria following a chaotic march against immigrants on Friday.
Spokesperson for the Congolese community in SA‚ Prince Mpinda‚ said there were nasty confrontations in Sunnyside on Friday night as a group of locals from Mamelodi attacked immigrants.
He said the group came in bakkies‚ some carrying large sacks in anticipation of loading goods they would have looted from foreign-owned shops in Sunnyside.
- Riot gear, machetes, drugs and loathing as xenophobic tension grips PretoriaWith battle lines drawn‚ police averted an ugly war between armed South Africans and immigrants on the streets of the country's administrative capital on Friday.
“Since shops were closed‚ they tried to break in but owners managed to call others who came to their rescue. They were literally attacking the shops‚ trying to break down steel doors with the intention of stealing. Police were also quick to arrive and arrested one of the leaders‚” Mpinda said.
- Pretoria West residents plan self-defence groups and patrols against xenophobic violenceResidents and community groups concerned about the threat of xenophobic violence and looting in Pretoria West are meeting this evening to form watch patrols and self-defence groups.
Mpinda said though calm has been restored‚ immigrants were still on high alert as the marchers did not succeed in looting their shops on Friday.
“The fear is that they did not get anything so they might return to give it another try. We have sent people to Marabastad and Sunnyside to brief each other on what to do next‚” he said.
- Tshwane protesters heckle police in standoffAs a group of protesters marched to Sunnyside‚ Pretoria‚ they were escorted by the police until they got to the corners of Nelson Mandela and Robert Subukwe streets.
Mpinda said to demonstrate their stance against crime‚ they have formed tip-off groups who will inform police whenever they are aware of criminal activities.
Police spokesperson Colonel Vishnu Naidoo said the situation in all affected areas remained calm but said police are keeping a close watch.
“It is calm as per our last update on Friday. We are monitoring the situation‚” he said.
TMG Digital/TimesLIVE
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