S. Africans March against Immigrant Attacks

Local Editor

Thousands of people marched through the South African city of Durban to protest against anti-immigrant violence that had left six people dead and spread to the economic capital Johannesburg.

Foreign-owned shops in the Jeppestown area of Johannesburg were attacked overnight, the police said as they called for calm over fears that the attacks could trigger widespread unrest fueled by the country's economic troubles.

In the past two weeks, shops and homes owned by Somalis, Ethiopians, Malawians and other immigrants in Durban and surrounding townships had been targeted, forcing families to flee to camps protected by armed guards.

About 4,000 people marched through Durban, chanting "down with xenophobia!" and "a united Africa" at an event attended by residents, students and local religious and political leaders.

Police vowed to quell the wave of violence, which claimed its latest victim Monday when a 14-year-old boy was killed in KwaMashu, a township north of Durban.

"There are tensions in various parts of the country between some locals and foreign nationals [but] lawlessness will not be tolerated," National Police Commissioner General Riah Phiyega said in a statement.

"Overnight, there was a flare-up of violent attacks and looting in Jeppestown, Johannesburg," she added. "Six male suspects have been arrested for public violence and housebreaking. The suspects allegedly broke into foreigners' shops."

Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, around 200 anti-immigrant protesters, shouting that they wanted immigrants to leave, had pelted passing vehicles and the police with rocks.

Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crown in an eastern suburb of the country's biggest commercial city, a Reuters witness said.

Police, who also reported tensions in Pietermaritzburg city, called for community leaders to help reduce tensions and added that false rumors of attacks were increasing fear.

One of the marchers in Durban, Eric Machi, 34, said he rented rooms to Zimbabweans and Malawians until they fled from attackers in recent weeks. "We are trying to make peace with those people who came here from Africa, but now they are gone," he said.

The marchers were escorted by a heavy police escort, but the march began peacefully.

President Jacob Zuma condemned the attacks and admitted the government had been slow to tackle some issues behind the violence.

Many shops in Johannesburg were shut Wednesday and Thursday after threats spread via social networks and text messages.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team