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ANC: 'Sinister forces' at work
14/05/2008 12:04 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Sinister forces are using the recent attacks on foreigners to destabilise the province, the provincial ANC said on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Nkenke Kekana said the manner in which the attacks were carried out pointed to an organised grouping.
"If you look at these attacks there's a pattern that seeks to destabilise the province. And we cannot allow that, people cannot just attack foreigners," Kekana said.
On Sunday, Alexandra residents engaged in a spate of violent attacks on foreign nationals, murdering one and injuring scores of others.
Properties belonging to foreigners were vandalised and their belongings were stolen.
Attacks must stop
Kekana said the provincial leadership would discuss the xenophobic attacks at a meeting with the Johannesburg region in the evening (Wednesday).
He said the delegation, led by provincial chairperson Paul Mashatile would attempt to make people vigilant.
"We want to engage structures and communities to ensure that these xenophobic attacks stop."
By Wednesday, the situation in Alexandra was reportedly calm but three teenagers, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot and stabbed on Tuesday night.
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 on Tuesday," said Malefetse.
"A 17-year-old man was shot and a 14-year-old boy was stabbed. Both were admitted to hospital. A 16-year-old woman was grazed 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.
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.
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