News / Africa
Zim-on-Zim attacks, 2 dead, 10 arrested
22 Feb 2014 at 18:19hrs | Views
More than 10 Zimbabweans were arrested in South Africa, in connection with clashes that left two of their countrymen dead last week.
Police in Limpopo Province, disputed recent media reports that the two Zimbabweans died in xenophobic attacks were wrong, as they were killed by their countrymen.
"The reports that they were attacked as a result of xenophobia are not true because it was Zimbabweans fighting against Zimbabweans," said Limpopo police commissioner, General Fanie Masemola.
"Some Zimbabweans grouped themselves together and accused some of their countrymen of committing crime. They then attacked them, while those being attacked also fought back, resulting in the two deaths and five injuries. We assembled a team that stopped the attacks and arrested more than 10 people."
The police chief said they acted after they had first received reports during the week that a group of Zimbabweans was meting out instant justice on fellow Zimbabweans they accused of being criminals in the Vhembe region.
The two were killed after they were captured in a suspected hideout in Tswinga and brought to some bushes, where a crowd fatally beat them. Some were badly injured in random attacks around Thohoyandou and surrounding villages.
Some of those arrested were released during the week, after they could not be linked to the murders and assaults, but some were still admitted in hospital under police guard, after they were injured in the clashes with their fellow nationals.
"Some of them appeared in court last week and remain in custody as we continue our investigations. Our appeal is for those with information on this to come forward so we can have the perpetrators brought before justice. We cannot allow this to continue happening. We have stopped the violent fights, but if criminals are protected, they may start again and more lives will be lost," said Thohoyandou police spokesman, Avhafarei Tshiovhe.
Police in Limpopo Province, disputed recent media reports that the two Zimbabweans died in xenophobic attacks were wrong, as they were killed by their countrymen.
"The reports that they were attacked as a result of xenophobia are not true because it was Zimbabweans fighting against Zimbabweans," said Limpopo police commissioner, General Fanie Masemola.
"Some Zimbabweans grouped themselves together and accused some of their countrymen of committing crime. They then attacked them, while those being attacked also fought back, resulting in the two deaths and five injuries. We assembled a team that stopped the attacks and arrested more than 10 people."
The police chief said they acted after they had first received reports during the week that a group of Zimbabweans was meting out instant justice on fellow Zimbabweans they accused of being criminals in the Vhembe region.
The two were killed after they were captured in a suspected hideout in Tswinga and brought to some bushes, where a crowd fatally beat them. Some were badly injured in random attacks around Thohoyandou and surrounding villages.
Some of those arrested were released during the week, after they could not be linked to the murders and assaults, but some were still admitted in hospital under police guard, after they were injured in the clashes with their fellow nationals.
"Some of them appeared in court last week and remain in custody as we continue our investigations. Our appeal is for those with information on this to come forward so we can have the perpetrators brought before justice. We cannot allow this to continue happening. We have stopped the violent fights, but if criminals are protected, they may start again and more lives will be lost," said Thohoyandou police spokesman, Avhafarei Tshiovhe.
Source - zimbabwean
