Since November 2020, there have been random attacks on foreign vendors and their tented stalls in Durban, when many were ousted from the popular Church Walk Flea Market which is next to the Workshop Shopping Center. This act was carried out by a group of persons identifying themselves as the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association Freedom Fighters.
There are unconfirmed stories of large scale and coordinated attacks in the offing on foreign nationals in Durban’s central business district and this has instilled a certain sense of fear psychosis in the traders since the most recent outbreak of the xenophobic violence that began in November 2020. The provincial Police have denied any knowledge of such an attack or threats.
In the most recent attacks which took place on Monday in the City’s busy Victoria Street saw three vending stalls and one gazebo torched. While two foreign nationals were seriously harmed and had to be taken to the hospital, one brick and mortar shop was vandalized.
This action has once again plunged the safety and security of the foreign nationals into the lime-light in a province that is blotched with a history of extreme and deadly xenophobic out-bursts. It seems the authorities are cautious to name the happenings as such but rather insinuate that these are acts of criminality or internal strife’s between competing vendors in an extremely despairing economic environment.
Cele had promised to call a meeting with the foreign nationals and “locals” said Enabebholo, “but up until today, we are still waiting for that meeting. Now the whole situation has started up again,” he said, referring to Monday’s attacks. Enabebholo said that an assurance was given by Cele that there would be a meeting with the foreign nationals and the “locals” “but up until today, we are still waiting for that meeting. Now the whole situation has started up again,” he said, referring to Monday’s attacks.
