Krugersdorp erupts in flames

Simmering tensions between the local community and police blew up again yesterday into running battles as South Africans accused migrants of various criminal acts and then blamed the police for not doing anything about it.

Drug dealing, prostitution, human trafficking and police involvement are just some of the allegations angry people have levelled against foreign nationals living in Krugersdorp and people from around the town under the Mogale City municipality went on the rampage. Pakistani-owned shops were looted and burnt, children sent home from schools and rubber bullets and tear gas were the order of the day as police battled to take control of the situation with water cannons and a helicopter in support.

“Six houses have been burnt, and these are not houses belonging to migrants. They belong to South Africans and were rented by foreign nationals,” said Marc Gbaffou of the African Diaspora Forum.

“When they refer to the Nigerian community, I don’t think that is correct. We have a situation where Ivorian and Somali businesses were attacked,” he said. “It’s unfortunate local communities – both migrants and South Africans – are not fighting crime, but giving a nationality to crime. This is unfortunate because many migrants are cautious about criminal elements in the community and want to give their time to fight crime.”

The violence is believed to have started on January 18 when a group of people torched three houses they believed were holding a relative of theirs. The alleged kidnapping victim was later found by police near Chief Mogale and the circumstances of her disappearance are still being investigated.

Gbaffou said it was discouraging for those who tried to do the right thing but were labelled as criminal simply because of their nationality. “We wanted to send the Nigerian High Commission to try and address the issue, but the police didn’t want to talk to them. They wanted to talk to members of the community instead. We sent a delegation there to try and meet people to engage with them,” Gbaffou said.

He equated what was going on in Krugersdorp to what happened in Rosettenville last year when 10 houses alleged to belong to drug lords and brothel owners burnt. Earlier this year, Rustenburg also burnt when six buildings people had identified as drug dens and brothels were set alight. Parliamentary portfolio committee on police chairperson Francois Beukman yesterday condemned the violence in Krugersdorp.

“The right to assemble and demonstrate is enshrined in the constitution and must be respected at all times. However, these rights come with the responsibility to protest peacefully,” Beukman said.

“It is thus unacceptable that a small group in the Krugersdorp community has decided to burn property, including a satellite police station in the area. The torching of public and private property undermines the genuine concerns that the community might have,” said Beukman.

– amandaw@citizen.co.za

//

For more news your way, follow The Citizen on Facebook and Twitter.