2010 Starts with Further Xenophobic Violence

The new year has begun much as it left off with two new cases of xenophobic violence in different parts of the country. Yesterday residents of Atteridgeville in Gauteng looted shops owned by foreign-nationals. This followed the demolition of illegally-constructed shacks in Itireleng by the council’s Red Ants unit after which residents threatened to attack foreign nationals and take over their homes. For more information, see http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=30076.

In Riviersonderend in the Western Cape, media reports indicate that around 400 residents looted Somali-owned shops in the area following the suspicious death of a local man who was believed to have last been seen with Somali nationals. The man was later found to have died of natural causes but by this stage shops had already been damaged and Somali nationals had been displaced. For further information, see http://news.iafrica.com/sa/2159821.htm