THE wave of xenophobic attacks that has swept across eThekwini in recent weeks spilled into Umbilo on Monday evening.
According to Mthembiseni Thusi, Dalton Hostel chairman, at around 5pm on Monday, groups of Dalton Hostel dwellers started chasing foreign nationals who live behind the Dalton Beerhall, located diagonally across the road from the hostel, and behind the hostel itself.
He said some hostel residents, sympathetic to the plights of foreigners in South Africa, received tip-offs of the impending attack and managed to warn some members of the affected community, particularly the women and children.
Thusi and Nezakhiwo Zawo, vice chairman and spokesperson, and other hostel leaders managed to hold off the angry residents and prevent violence while the police were called.
The police, who responded quickly, used stun grenades and teargas to hold back the crowd. The angry residents then circled the hostel chanting xenophobic slogans and voiced their anger at hostel leaders for “protecting foreigners”.
Thusi said police are maintaining a strong presence in the area around Dalton hostel and the lower Umbilo, Albert Park area. An ambulance is on standby.
There have been no injuries or killings reported, but the foreign community has been displaced.
Thusi said it would appear hostel communities – like other communities – are being incited to participate in xenophobic attacks by exploiting existing socioeconomic hardships, the utter collapse of law and order and most government department’s general dysfunction. He said hostel leaders were coming under threat themselves when trying to control their communities.
“We urge churches, businesses and the Umbilo community to open their doors and give aid where needed to those displaced. The police so far have done a good job. Community leaders who have the foresight and courage to oppose the widespread xenophobic sentiment must be supported and commended for their actions. A black cloud hangs over our country,” he said.
This morning, (Tuesday 14 April), a resident said her nanny was trapped in a building in Umbilo with her two-year-old child. She said while she spoke to her on the phone, she could hear gun shots as the police and attackers shot at each other.
Col Jay Naicker from provincial SAPS communications, said he can confirm an incident that occurred on 13 April at about 5.45pm where a 45-year-old man was allegedly attacked and assaulted by a group of men while he was at his tuck shop in Sydney Road, Durban.
Airtime, cash and other items were allegedly stolen from the tuck shop.
“Umbilo police opened a case of public violence for investigation and no arrest has been made. Police are deployed and in high alert in most of the areas where there are foreign nationals. The group was instructed to disperse and they dispersed into different directions. Police are still monitoring the area,” he said.
