An angry mob shot dead two people and injured at least 40 in suspected xenophobic attacks in Alexandra township on the weekend, Johannesburg police said on Monday.
”They threw stones at these people, shot at them, whipped some of them with sjamboks and robbed them,” said Inspector Moses Maphakela.
”The residents of Alexandra say they don’t want any more illegal immigrants. They say the foreigners rob them on the street when they go to work and when they return from work.”
Maphakela said the foreigners were attacked in their houses on Sunday night in Alexandra and neighbouring Kew.
Constable Neria Malefetse said the police later discovered that one of the men who was shot dead was a South African.
”We are not sure why he was targeted,” she said.
She could not specify the nationality of the other victims but said most foreigners living in Alexandra were from Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Twelve people have been arrested and face charges of murder, attempted murder, public violence and theft.
About 500 police officers have been deployed in the area to monitor the situation, which was quiet on Monday. — Sapa