Pretoria – As the Diepsloot area remains tense following days of looting of shops owned by foreign nationals, government has called on communities to be vigilant against the possible resurgence of criminal violence targeting foreigners.
Violence broke out in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, on Sunday when a Somali man was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing two Zimbabwean men. Police have arrested 45 people for public violence, among other crimes.
In the Vaal, reports say police have received around 100 complaints of looting and vandalism of shops belonging to foreigners and South Africans, following service-delivery protests in the area last week.
However, Cabinet warned that people should not be quick to link the situation to acts of xenophobia.
“Cabinet is cautious not to label this violence as xenophobic because preliminary evidence indicates that these acts may be driven primarily by criminality,” Public Service and Administration Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Thursday. She was addressing reporters in Pretoria following this week’s Cabinet meeting.
Political parties also bemoaned the violence this week, saying it tarnished the country's image.
Sisulu said Cabinet commended the law enforcement agencies for their swift and decisive action in dealing with the situation. – SAnews.gov.za
