Xenophobia: 2 people stabbed to death as South Africans renew protest against foreigners

Two people have reportedly been stabbed to death as South African mobs renew their protests against foreigners in their country.

According to Punch, President, Nigerian Union in South Africa, Adetola Olubajo has confirmed the incident in a telephone interview.

Adetola said; “It’s confirmed that two people were stabbed at MTN Taxi Rank and Jeppe Road in Johannesburg Central Business District and we have informed the Consul General of Nigeria in Johannesburg and the Police in Jeppestown.

“I’m not sure (of their nationalities) as the Police have taken them to hospital“Their identities were not disclosed. The Police are using rubber bullets to disperse them.”

KHORGIST had earlier reported that more violence was building up in the former apartheid countryas protesters took to the street on Sunday, September 8, 2019, asking foreign nationals to leave their country.

According to Sowetan Live, a news platform in the country, the protesters, who are residents of hostels in eastern Johannesburg marched along the Jules street in the area shouting “foreigners must go back to where they came from.”

Speaking on the renewed protest, Adetola said, the protesters with some dangerous weapons in their hands asked foreigners to leave their country.

He said, “They have moved from Jeppestown to Braamfontein, even to the CBD Taxi Rank in town.“Though we have been monitoring the incident for the past three hours now, Police have not been able to disperse them.“Our fear is that they may start looting again in the night. We have sent an alert to Nigerians immediately. We used our various social media platforms to do that.“We sent it to our structures and the entirety of Nigerians.“Most Nigerians are aware of this by now because there are photos and videos, and it is also televised by SABC.”

Meanwhile, South African Police in a statement have cautioned residents of the community to stay away from the area.

Statement from South African Police Service (SAPS) states: Police caution community to stay away from the area around the MTN Taxi Rank and Johannesburg CBD following latest incidents of attacks on businesses.

A joint deployment made up of the SAPS and the JMPD has since this morning been closely monitoring Jeppestown and surrounding areas following notices of a gathering to be addressed by Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi in Jeppestown.

Many shops are currently closed while police remain on high alert to ensure minimum damages and criminality. At this stage, no injuries and no arrests have been reported.

Recall that due to the earlier attacks on foreign nationals in the former apartheid country, Nigeria, Rwanda and Malawi pulled out of the World Economic Forum which held in the country.

Zambia also cancelled an international friendly match with the country over the violence against foreigners.