Breaking: Two stabbed in Johannesburg amid renewed xenophobic attacks
Two persons were stabbed on Sunday in a resurgence of xenophobic
protests in Johannesburg, South Africa, The PUNCH has learnt.
The President, Nigerian Union in South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, confirmed in a telephone interview.
He, however, could not speak on the nationalities of the victims or the severity of the injuries, as the Police had yet to reveal the victims’ identities.
Olubajo said, “It’s confirmed that two people were stabbed by MTN Taxi Rank and Jeppe Road in Johannesburg Central Business District and we have informed the Consul General of Nigeria in Johannesburg and the Police in Jeppestown.
“I’m not sure (of their nationalities) as the Police have taken them
to hospital.
“Their identities were not disclosed. The Police are using
rubber bullets to disperse them.”
According to the NUSA president, there was a meeting on Sunday morning, which the Police Minister was supposed to address.
He said a popular South African activist, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, had
addressed the South Africans, calling for peace, but some of the
protesters got angry and left.
Olubajo added, “Now, they are chanting ‘Foreigners must go,’ with some dangerous weapons in their hands.
“They have moved from Jeppestown to Braamfontein, even to the CBD Taxi Rank in town.
“Though we have been monitoring the incident for the past three hours now, Police have not been able to disperse them.
“Our fear is that they may start looting again in the night.
“We have sent an alert to Nigerians immediately. We used our
various social media platforms to do that.
“We sent it to our structures and the entirety of Nigerians.
“Most Nigerians are aware of this by now because there are photos and videos, and it is also televised by SABC.”
He noted that a lot of Nigerians live in the affected area, though
some had relocated because last Sunday’s looting and vandalism of
Nigerian businesses by South Africans occurred in the same area.
“Quite a number of our people live around Jeppestown and Fountain.
“We are talking about Johannesburg, which is very big’ but Jeppestown is close to the eastern part of Johannesburg where those hostile attacks took place.
“Jules Street is closer to them; it’s a major road they would take to
the CBD.
“MTN Taxi Rank is the major bus stop there. They have
virtually captured that taxi rank and Braamfontein,” Olubajo
explained. PUNCH
