PIETERMARITZBURG – Several foreign nationals were assaulted and forced to flee the Masukwana informal settlement in Pietermaritzburg following an anti-immigration protest that escalated into violence.
The unrest erupted after a demonstration organised by the March and March movement concluded outside Pietermaritzburg City Hall. Thousands of protesters reportedly marched to the nearby settlement, accusing foreign nationals of being involved in the fatal attack of a local resident.
Witnesses said groups of protesters armed with sticks moved through the settlement searching for foreign nationals. Several people were assaulted, while others fled in an effort to escape the advancing crowd.
Some of those targeted sought refuge near police vehicles stationed outside the settlement. Police later intervened and placed several foreign nationals into vehicles for their safety.
One man sustained serious injuries during the violence and was reportedly left bleeding after being beaten by members of the crowd.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over the treatment of foreign nationals in KwaZulu-Natal.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has raised alarm over what he describes as a worsening humanitarian crisis at Sherwood Park in Durban, where approximately 10,000 people, mainly Malawian nationals, have gathered.
Despite ongoing repatriation and deportation efforts, authorities say more people continue to arrive from different parts of South Africa after learning about the process.
Ntuli warned that overcrowding, inadequate shelter and limited resources are placing immense pressure on the site. He also expressed concern about the large number of vulnerable individuals, including mothers and babies, living in difficult conditions.
The premier cautioned that the situation could rapidly deteriorate into a disaster if urgent measures are not implemented to manage the growing population and provide adequate humanitarian support.
Police have not yet released details on arrests linked to the violence in Pietermaritzburg, and investigations into the incidents are ongoing.
For more on this unfolding situation, we’re joined by a member of the national campaign against xenophobia, Dr Najeeba Kareem:
