19 Foreigners allegedly assaulted for not having passports in South Africa
19 Foreigners allegedly assaulted for not having passports in South Africa
An ex-police chief who was there at the time alleges that investigations revealed that the 19 foreigners who were attacked were in South Africa illegally when the rally got violent in Kagiso.
On Thursday, locals marched to the streets in a show of disapproval over what they saw as illegal miners operating in the area.
Major-General Tommy Mthombeni, a former acting Gauteng police commissioner, said that the victims of the attacks turned out to be foreigners who were in the country illegally.
During an event in which the locals had encircled several individuals, our specialised teams were able to break through and save 19 lives.
We transported them to the police station, and after processing them, we determined that they are illegal aliens, Mthombeni stated.
He also said that reports of teargas usage by police to disperse protesters had been received from locals.
We informed the people of Kagiso that they had to get together to solve the crisis there.
Mthombeni refuted charges that the police had been ineffective in the Kagiso by stating that various operations have been conducted to address the illicit mining problem.
If you take a look at the way things are on the ground and at the plan we’ve put in place and followed through on, you’ll see that we’re doing this for the good of the community. These days, even the arrests of suspects are the result of police work.
Another man’s body was discovered in a field near Chamdor, Kagiso, on Thursday morning.
Colonel Noxolo Kweza, a spokesman for the Gauteng police, said that forensics specialists had been called to the area.
Kweza reaffirmed that they will be looking into “the motivation and cause of death.”
Kagiso locals have been protesting since Thursday, when they began rounding up suspected illegal miners and essentially shutting down the area in an effort to force the government to take action.
Previously, eight women had been gang rap ed in Krugersdorp.
Locals reportedly blocked highways and threw objects at police, including bottles and rocks. Rubber bullets were used as a form of retaliation by the police.
Despite an appeal for calm from West Rand police commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana, locals continued to search homes for suspected illicit miners.
On-site reporters from News24 saw locals forcibly remove a man they believed to be an illegal miner from his dwelling.
Saying, “We need to have a chat with him. None of us intend to harm him. They have two minutes to lend him to us. As the guy begged for his life, a local person yelled at him, “He must tell us where his other illegal workers are.”
Locals scoured the area around the mine dumps, hoping to find any squatters who could be illegal miners. They cut power to equipment used by the smugglers, who were illegal miners.
It was discovered that electricity was being fed in from nearby homes.
Four suspected illegal mining operations were located and raided by locals, who seized all mining gear.
A hut that was thought to have been used by illicit miners was also demolished.
At first, the landlady said no zama zamas could rent her yard.
Power lines directed locals to sheds housing mining gear.
Some locals pleaded with the mob to stop beating up the alleged zama zamas.
One person pleaded, “Please let’s stop attacking, particularly the little ones.”
After locals burned down the man’s hut, he was finally freed.
Armed with a variety of firearms, locals spent the morning scouring mine dumps and picked up roughly 50 alleged illegal miners. The locals didn’t seem to mind the cops being there.
A second set of alleged unlicensed miners was also dragged out in the open and flogged.
We want to teach them a lesson,” a woman named Tshepiso stated. Too long have they been raping and looting us. Not enough effort is being made by our police force to apprehend them. We’re on the lookout for them at the moment.”
Kagiso local Tiisetso Phadi reported that demonstrators had sealed off an entrance to a mining waste where four individuals had reportedly fled.
We hope we never run into them again.” It’s imperative that they leave our community. We are operating independently,” he clarified.
Beyers van Staden, of the security firm National Crime Assist, claimed that he and his colleagues from other firms had opted to assist the Kagiso locals in their “operation.”
Three of them came at our members yesterday with AK-47s in hand and beckoned for them to get closer. They carry several weapons. We’ve gotten through our fear now. The loss of even one life in our community is unacceptable to me,” he went on.
David Makhura, the premier of Gauteng, has issued a statement urging everyone to remain peaceful.
— News24
