Kya Sands tense after attacks

2010-07-20 13:09

Johannesburg - The mood was tense with a strong police presence at Kya Sands informal settlement, north of Johannesburg, before midday on Tuesday after earlier attacks apparently on foreign nationals.

Earlier, five people - four of whom were foreign nationals - were taken to hospital after they were attacked in their shacks late on Monday night to early Tuesday morning. Resident Isaac Mashiroane, 37, said he heard screams around 22:00 on Monday night.

"It became quiet for about two hours and there was noise again around midnight. When we went outside to investigate we realised that people were being assaulted."

Kicking doors open

Mashiroane said the attackers were kicking doors open and demanding money and identity documents, as well as looting spaza shops.

"We don't know who they are because they covered their faces but they are targeting mostly foreigners because I also own a spaza shop but nobody came to my shop," he said.

He said his neighbour, a Zimbabwean, was among the five taken to hospital.

Mashiroane said people did not like foreigners because they accused them of taking their jobs.

Another resident, Mthokosizi Sibanda from Zimbabwe who had been living in South Africa for more than five years, said he heard a whistle and people chanting around 23:00 on Monday.

"The next thing I heard was a knock on my door, they said they were police and demanded that we open the door but I did not open it."

Foreigners targeted

Sibanda said his door was not kicked in and the attackers went to the next shack and he could hear them demanding money and identity documents.

He said his neighbour was attacked.

Sibanda said foreign nationals were being targeted and he was very scared because they did not know where they would sleep on Tuesday night.

There were more than 15 police vehicles parked outside the squatter camp and over 50 armed police officers were patrolling and searching residents.

By midday more than ten people had been arrested in connection with the attacks.

Gauteng MEC for local government Kgaogelo Lekgoro was expected to visit the area.

- SAPA