By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Four people have died and ten others have been injured in violent clashes between locals and Zimbabwean nationals in Addo, Eastern Cape.
Provincial police spokesperson, Warrant Officer, Majola Nkohli, said four counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder were under investigation.
He said the clashes were sparked by the death of a local following a fight between a group of local residents and foreigners at a tavern on Saturday night.
“According to a report, community members from Valencia area in Addo took to the streets, and attacked foreign nationals in the area,” Nkohli said.
He said police have deployed members from various specialized units and are maintaining a heavy police presence in the area.
Councillor Karen Smith from Community Services in the Sundays River Valley Municipality confirmed that the violence was triggered by a fight at a shebeen in the township in which a 21-year-old man was murdered. This young man’s brother, who was also attacked, is still in an Intensive Care Unit. The incident happened on Saturday night.
By Sunday mob justice had claimed the lives of four men, understood to be Zimbabweans, who were stabbed and beaten to death.
Smith said another 10 dockets had been opened for cases of attempted murder.
“I want to say that the police have been amazing,” she said. She added that seven men who were injured in the attacks had been discharged from hospital, and that the police were looking for them so they could take statements.
The acting provincial commissioner in the Eastern Cape, major-general Thandiswa Kupiso has appealed for calm, and urged community leaders to assist with the further engagements between the parties.
The Sundays River Valley Municipality also called for calm and encouraged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands.
Eastern Cape premier, Oscar Mabuyane, also called for calm.
“Violence and retaliation have no place in our communities and often serve to deepen divisions. We must always remember that our strength lies in our unity and shared humanity,” the Premier said.