The rantings of about 40 outraged foreign nationals could be heard in the streets of Newcastle CBD as they marched to the SAPS building after a man was fatally stabbed.
The local barber, believed to be in his 30s, was fatally wounded after six suspects allegedly attempted to rob him of his belongings on Saturday night at around 11pm.
A friend of the deceased said they were walking home, when they were accosted by the suspects who demanded their cash and other valuables.
“We tried to run away, but my friend could not get away fast enough. The suspects grabbed him and stabbed him in the stomach and the neck, while swearing at him and telling him that we did not belong in this country,” said the man who wished to remain anonymous.
Allegedly, he called his friends who took the victim to the Newcastle Primary Health Clinic for medical treatment.
The stabbed man was declared dead upon arrival at the clinic, and his body was removed to the KZN Medico-Legal Mortuary.
Irate, hurt and scared, a group of foreign nationals marched to the Newcastle Police Station, demanding to know why the suspects had not been arrested, and why the police allegedly failed to protect the lives of foreigners.
“We are angry! We are sick and tired of these attacks on our brothers. We have reported four murders this year alone, and not one person has paid the price for their actions against us. Why is this? We came to South Africa for a better life than we had in Nigeria and the Congo, and yet we are being killed like flies! We want answers and we want the SAPS to know we will not be standing for this any more, and that we will be fighting back.”
Newcastle Policing Forum, Newcastle 911 helped the police calm the angry mob.
The men threatened to resort to vigilantism to avenge the senseless attack.
“We will no longer be keeping quiet. We will no longer be afraid. We will no longer tolerate being treated like we do not belong here and our lives do not matter. However it may be, justice will be served for the death of our brother,” said an angry protester.
SAPS Corporate Communications and Liaison Officer, Lizzy Arumugam confirmed a case of murder was being investigated by police.
However, no had suspects have been arrested yet.
She said alleged xenophobic attacks would not be tolerated by Newcastle police, and that more visible patrols would be conducted in the areas where foreign nationals reside.
“We have made arrests concerning cases opened by foreigners and we regularly conduct awareness campaigns on xenophobia. As a result, Newcastle does not experience a high rate of xenophobic attacks,” she concluded.
