Hundreds of foreign nationals living in Bredasdorp in the Western Cape are now seeking refuge following violent clashes with local residents.
According to reports, locals marched to the Cape Agulhas Municipality on Thursday, 24 March to hand over a memorandum regarding the influx of undocumented non-nationals in the area as well as the lack of access to land for informal dwelling and the lack of job creation opportunities.
Deputy Mayor Raymond Ross then assured the residents that the Municipality will respond immediately to the memorandum and give feedback within the next seven days.
However, when the group returned to their homes, they started targeting shops and property owned by foreign nationals. Reports also emerged on Friday that two male foreign nationals sustained injuries due to the violent clashes.
The peaceful start of the Bredasdorp protest ended in shots being fired by the police!
?Come on people ?, do your protests peacefully. Don’t put your policeman under pressure. They did nothing wrong. They have families too. ? pic.twitter.com/aPXBL1zVTi— JG (Johan) van Zyl ✍✝️ (@JGvanZyl_ZA) March 24, 2022
Meanwhile, the displaced foreigners are staying at the NG Church Hall in Bredasdorp. According to the dominee at the church, there is not enough space for everyone as more and more people are streaming in.
Police have also opened a case of public violence, however, no arrest had been made yet.
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Picture: @JGvanZyl_ZA/ Twitter