Stun grenades, looting and violent clashes erupt during Bellville anti-immigration march
Ask AI 3minMAYHEM: Anti-immigrant protest erupted into violence and looting
Chaos erupted in the Bellville CBD yesterday as an anti-illegal immigration march descended into violent clashes, looting and a heavy police response, with scenes of bloodied faces, tear gas and stun grenades as tensions between South African protesters and foreign nationals boiled over.
Some protesters also alleged that live ammunition was fired during the confrontation. However, police had not confirmed these claims by late yesterday, nor had SAPS confirmed allegations from organisers that several people had been arrested.
The protest, which started at the Bellville taxi rank and proceeded towards the police station, was organised by Concerned Citizens and joined by members of March and March and Operation Dudula.
Siyabulela “Mjoli” Dukumbana, chairperson of Concerned Citizens, said the march was called urgently after what he described as a confrontation between South Africans and foreign nationals in Bellville on Tuesday.
According to Dukumbana, organisers received information following Tuesday’s altercation alleging that some foreign nationals were carrying weapons.
“The community was very angry about why the foreign nationals are getting it right to attack us,” Dukumbana said.
“That is why everything happened. We wanted to go and get answers about the memorandum, about the foreign nationals and the drug dealers.
“We said, let us march from the taxi rank to the police station.”
Dukumbana said tensions grew as the group moved through Bellville and alleged that a confrontation involving foreign nationals and police preceded clashes with the protesters.
“While we were marching, the foreign nationals got rowdy with the police, and then turned to us and we reacted,” he claimed.
He further alleged that there had been a shooting and that three Somali nationals had been arrested. SAPS had not confirmed either the alleged shooting or the claimed arrests by the time of publication.
Dukumbana said yesterday’s demonstration was also intended to follow up on grievances raised during an earlier march in Bellville.
On July 8, Concerned Citizens, March and March, Operation Dudula and the Labour and Civic Organisation marched through Bellville with a police escort and handed a memorandum to the Department of Home Affairs and City of Cape Town offices. The groups demanded tougher enforcement against undocumented immigration and stricter policing of informal trading laws.
That demonstration had itself followed the circulation of a video appearing to show a confrontation between South African and foreign national traders in the area.
Dukumbana said the groups remained frustrated by what they regarded as a lack of decisive action.
“We feel like we are not safe in our own country. If these people attack us, where are we going to run to?” he said.
He also alleged that some foreign nationals were involved in the sale of drugs and expired goods, claims which have not been independently established.
Dukumbana further questioned whether foreign-owned businesses were complying with immigration and labour legislation.
However, claims that foreign nationals are broadly prohibited from operating businesses or trading informally in South Africa are incorrect. The City previously confirmed that foreign nationals may apply for informal trading opportunities where they are lawfully entitled to reside and conduct economic activity in South Africa and submit the necessary supporting documentation.
A witness at the scene said marchers had initially been walking through the area when police moved to disperse the crowd after looting broke out.
“The marchers were walking and stun grenades were shot to disperse the crowd after looting broke out,” the witness said.
“A foreign national ran behind the marchers and they got hold of him.”
Amid the confusion, images and accounts from the scene showed injured people with bloodied faces while tear gas hung over parts of the CBD.
Dukumbana claimed one member of their group was arrested for public disorder and remained at the police station until late yesterday.
Police, however, provided a different account regarding arrests.
SAPS spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala confirmed that Public Order Police had been deployed to Bellville following protest action involving March and March and Operation Dudula.
“During the demonstration, several shops were looted and police registered a case of public violence,” Gwala said.
“No arrest has been effected at this stage. Police are monitoring the situation.”
The SAPS did not confirm claims by Dukumbana that a Concerned Citizens member had been detained or that three Somali nationals had been arrested.
By late yesterday, police remained deployed in the area as authorities monitored the situation following a day of heightened tension in one of Cape Town’s busiest transport and trading hubs.