Alex violence flares up again

2008-05-14 08:01

Johannesburg - Three teenagers, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot and stabbed as violence flared up again in Alexandra on Tuesday night, Johannesburg police reported 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.

Three people have been killed in Alexandra since Sunday.

"There was a crowd that started with violence again," said Malefetse.

"A 17-year-old was shot and a 14-year-old boy was stabbed. Both were admitted to hospital. A 16-year-old woman was brazed by a bullet but she has since been discharged."

It was likely that more injuries from Tuesday night would be reported during the course of Wednesday morning.

Four rapes

Malefetse also confirmed that four rapes had been reported to the police in the past three days.

Gauteng Safety and Security MEC Firoz Cachalia on Tuesday said the attacks were not just "spontaneous acts of xenophobic hatred".

Many of the victims were South Africans.

"We must call a spade a spade... these are criminal acts," Cachalia said.

A heavy police presence will be maintained in Alexandra, which was calm, on Wednesday morning.

- SAPA