South Africa’s police and the African National Congress (ANC) intensified efforts on Tuesday to quell anti-foreigner violence that has killed at least 24 people and sent thousands of African immigrants into refugee shelters. Police have struggled for over a week to end the violent attacks on foreigners.
As a fresh wave of severe xenophobic violence gripped Johannesburg on Sunday, with five people killed in the Cleveland area, hundreds fleeing to the safety of police stations and shops in the CBD looted, President Thabo Mbeki announced that a panel had been set up to look into the attacks.
Five people were killed and 50 were injured on Sunday when xenophobic attacks spread to Cleveland, Johannesburg police said. Spokesperson Captain Cheryl Engelbrecht said the violence started at about 1am. Foreigners, mainly Zimbabweans, were attacked at the Cleveland informal settlement.
Three teenagers, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot and stabbed as violence flared up again in Alexandra on Tuesday night, Johannesburg police said on Wednesday. Constable Neria Malefetse said the police arrested another five people, bringing the total number of arrests related to suspected xenophobic attacks to 66.
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.
Teazers boss Emmanuel ”Lolly” Jackson and his manager appeared in court on Tuesday on charges of fraud and contravening immigration law, Johannesburg police said. Media reports said that 11 exotic dancers from Russia and the Ukraine were also being questioned.
A convicted rapist was arrested on Monday on suspicion of molesting a seven-year-old boy in KwaThema near Springs, Johannesburg police said. ”A young boy of about seven-years-old reported the matter to his parents this morning,” said police spokesperson Captain Johannes Ramphora.
A vehicle was burnt and a butchery was robbed during the early hours of Monday morning as residents of an informal settlement in Lenasia South protested against poor service delivery, Johannesburg police said. Two police vehicles were damaged on Sunday and some police officers sustained minor injuries.
Three hard drives were stolen from the Jeppestown Magistrate’s Court, Johannesburg police said on Tuesday. Police spokesperson Inspector Richard Munyai said staff at the court discovered on Tuesday that there had been a break-in some time during the night.
A Lenasia man was arrested after he allegedly shot dead his wife, sister-in-law and brother-in-law on Sunday afternoon, Johannesburg police said. ”The middle-aged man, who was intoxicated at the time of the shooting, had been recently separated from his wife,” said Constable Edwin Ntsheo.
Five men robbed a family at Hennopsriver in the Erasmia area, burning the mother and father with an iron. Constable Patricia Simelane said the men demanded money — saying that they had been told there was money in the house — and ”they burnt the mother and father with an iron three of four times on the upper body”.
Actor and popular Soweto pub owner Shimmy Mofokeng was shot dead by hijackers while approaching his driveway in Leonard Lane in Mulbarton, Johannesburg police said on Wednesday. Spokesperson Captain Julia Claassen said Mofokeng (53) was shot in his upper body as he was about to drive into his yard in his white Kia kombi on Monday.
No image available
/ 31 January 2008
Central Methodist Church Bishop Paul Verryn has condemned the heavy-handed way in which police arrested up to 1 500 refugees housed at his church in the Johannesburg CBD. The arrests were made during a late-night raid on Wednesday. The church is seen as a sanctuary for Zimbabwean refugees.
No image available
/ 15 January 2008
A Johannesburg High Court employee was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the unlawful release of hardened criminals from prison, Johannesburg police said. Spokesperson Inspector Sanku Tsunke said the 30-year-old woman was expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court later on Tuesday.
No image available
/ 27 December 2007
About 234 people have been arrested over a 48-hour period in the inner city, Johannesburg police said on Thursday. ”All these people were arrested in Hillbrow, Berea and Joubert Park as part of our accelerated crime combat operations, to maintain a safe environment as we are preparing for the new year celebrations,” said police spokesperson Captain Bhekizizwe Mavundla.
No image available
/ 14 November 2007
Johannesburg police discovered 16kg of cocaine with a street value of R7,2-million at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday. Senior Superintendent Vish Naidoo said officers came across the drugs, hidden in a knapsack, in the airport’s cargo section. The knapsack was concealed in a maize bag.
No image available
/ 12 November 2007
Controversial Soweto school principal Jackie Maarohanye, also known as ”Mama Jackie”, was found guilty of kidnapping a former student by the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Monday, Johannesburg police said. ”The case was postponed to January 21 for sentencing,” said police spokesperson Constable Sefako Xaba.
No image available
/ 10 November 2007
Two suspected house robbers were arrested in a North Riding complex in Randburg on Friday in possession of stolen goods worth millions of rands, Johannesburg police said. The goods include diamonds and jewellery worth more than R3-million, said Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini.
No image available
/ 5 November 2007
Johannesburg police arrested a man on Monday in connection with an armed robbery at a Pick ‘n Pay supermarket in Mulbarton over the weekend. Police spokesperson Captain Julia Claasen said the man was found in a ditch where he had been hiding since the robbery on Sunday evening.
No image available
/ 5 November 2007
Five robbers were arrested — four of them with gunshot wounds — after a shoot-out with the police after a robbery at the Checkers supermarket in Bryanston, north of Johannesburg, on Sunday. Johannesburg police spokesperson Captain Julia Claassen said the five-man gang robbed staff and customers of an undisclosed amount of money and cellphones.
No image available
/ 30 October 2007
A patient was shot and a guard stabbed when patients unhappy with their medication tried to flee the Sizwe Hospital in Edenvale on Tuesday, Johannesburg police said. Spokesperson Captain Piet Mnyageni said the incident occurred at about 6.30am when patients attempted to leave the hospital premises.
No image available
/ 18 October 2007
Reggae musician Lucky Dube was shot dead in a hijacking on Thursday in Rosettenville, Johannesburg police said. Captain Cheryl Engelbrecht said the incident took place at about 8.20pm when Dube (43) was driving in the Johannesburg suburb. He was dropping off his son in the area when he was attacked.
A 31-year-old woman was hit by a rubber bullet fired by police outside the Robin Crest residence in Saratonga Avenue, Johannesburg, during a student protest on Tuesday. Margaret Titsi and her sister were crossing the street at traffic lights when police demanded that they clear the road.
A fugitive who had been on the run for more than three years was re-arrested this week and sentenced on Wednesday to 18 years in jail for hijacking, Johannesburg police said. Sergeant Sanku Tsunke said that ”most wanted fugitive” Thabiso Reginald Makwela (26) had escaped from custody in 2004.
No image available
/ 19 September 2007
Another teenager has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a King Edward VII high school pupil, Johannesburg police said on Wednesday. Mfundo Ntshangase, a grade 11 pupil, was stabbed seven times at a party in Randburg on Sunday. He died in hospital while his friend, who was also stabbed, survived the incident.
No image available
/ 18 September 2007
Four Athlone Boys’ High pupils were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the stabbing of two pupils, and other suspects are being sought, Johannesburg police said. Captain Cheryl Engelbrecht said the boys would face charges of murder and attempted murder.
No image available
/ 17 September 2007
An 18-year-old grade-11 pupil at King Edward VII School in Houghton, Johannesburg, was stabbed several times at a house party in Randburg on Sunday. Mfundo Ntshangase was allegedly pulled out of a car, assaulted by a group of boys and then stabbed to death by one of the group at about 3am on Sunday morning.