Police dismiss claims of war between Zulus and foreign nationals in Hillbrow

The police have dismissed claims of a war between Zulus and foreign nationals in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.Ssocial media have been abuzz with claims of a war in Hillbrow, with videos circulating of people allegedly shooting at each.

Pictures of dead people have also been circulating, with social media users claiming they were killed in a shoot-out between the two groups.

Those who took to social media claimed that foreign nationals killed a South African, inciting violence between the two groups.

But police in Gauteng dismissed the allegations as fake news.

According to Brigadier Mathapelo Peters, members of the Public Order Police on Wednesday dispersed an illegal gathering of about 70 people at the scene where the family of a security guard who was shot and killed, had arrived to perform a cultural ritual.

Police were alerted to the gathering and random shots being fired. They arrived to disperse the illegal gathering.

No injuries or further incidents were reported.

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Five suspects were arrested for contravention of the Covid-19 lockdown regulations, while a sixth suspect was arrested for discharging a firearm in a public space.

His licensed firearm was seized by police. The six are expected to make their court appearance on Friday.

No injuries or further incidents were reported.

“We have further noted the resurfacing of an anonymous voice note purporting violence between a group of Zulu people and foreign nationals in Hillbrow, about which a number of people have been killed since January 2021.

“We wish to dispel this voice note and related reports of violence in Hillbrow as fake and malicious news. This clip was actually in circulation previously in January 2021,” said Mathapelo.

ALSO READ: Hundreds of people found in hijacked Hillbrow building, three suspects arrested

Police are on high alert and monitoring the area closely in case violence erupts as a result of the false reports.

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