Total chaos broke out in CBD

The police, along with Emalahleni’s Fire Department, had their hands full as violence broke out in the Central Business District (CBD).

This left two houses and one business up in flames, and a liquor store looted.

It is alleged that the chaos that went down on Tuesday, October 22, was because of the taxi association taking matters into their own hands.

The first incident occurred in Allenby Street, where members of the taxi association set a house on fire after information came through about a Nigerian that allegedly raped a woman and kept her locked up in the aforementioned house since Sunday, October 15.

It is believed that the 39-year-old victim came all the way from Johannesburg for a job interview, and after meeting up with the ‘employer,’ he forced her into the house where he allegedly raped her numerous times before locking her up.

She managed to escape on Monday night and fled to the taxi rank in the CBD pleading to the taxi drivers to take her back to Johannesburg.

The members of the taxi association insisted that she should tell them why she is so hysterical.

It was only after she had told the taxi association about her ordeal that they decided to take action.

The victim took the members to the house in which she was kept and pointed out the man who allegedly had done all of these bad things to her.

At this point, the members of the taxi association started to assault the Nigerian.

After allegedly assaulting the suspected rapist, they turned to his brother and told his brother what the alleged rapist had done.

It is believed that the brother then pointed a firearm at the members of the taxi association – and all hell broke loose.

Although the other two locations that were set alight in French and Lewis Street had nothing to do with the suspected rapist, it was war against the Nigerians as the taxi association pointed out all the alleged ‘drug houses’ in the neighbourhood.

Dennis Ground, senior divisional officer of the Emalahleni Fire Department, assured that he and his team will be conducting a full inspection of all the sites to assist with the investigation.

“We are packing up our belongings and going back to our country because it is not safe living in South Africa anymore,” said a Nigerian on the scene.

During this chaos all sorts of crime broke out all around the CBD as criminals went on and looted a local liquor store/action bar.

Cases of robbery, arson, public violence and malicious damage to property were opened against all the suspects involved in the crimes.

The victim went to open a case of rape against the suspected rapist, and although he is in Witbank Provincial Hospital in a critical condition, he will be charged.

The High Consulate of Nigeria had a meeting with SAPS Management regarding their citizens that were attacked during this incident.

The Cluster Commander of Witbank, General Wilson Kekana, condemned the fact that some of the taxi association members and criminals were taking the law into their own hands by severely assaulting foreign nationals and setting houses and business on fire.

He appeals to the community to report all crimes to the police and hand over arrested suspects to the police as soon as possible.

“Let the law take its course,” General Kekana concluded.

*The victim was too traumatized to talk to the media at this stage.