A peaceful march turned violent on Monday as protesters objecting to Nigerian “kingdom” influence in Buffalo City Metro, Eastern Cape, began smashing and setting fire to foreign-owned businesses and vehicles.
Police were forced to use stun grenades and teargas to quell the mob.
Ten vehicles believed to belong to foreign nationals were stoned, damaged and some torched by the rioting protesters who took to the streets in protest after an unconfirmed video of the “coronation” of a Nigerian Igbo “king” in the KuGompo City earlier this month, where Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko was named the “Igwe Ndigbo” of East London.
Provincial authorities and cultural experts later condemned the coronation, and even the Nigerian high commission called it “a mere cultural celebration”, apologising for “the negative perception”.
The Monday demonstration was organised by Contralesa in the province, together with anti-illegal migration organisation March and March Movement, led by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, who has previously been accused of inciting public violence against undocumented foreign nationals.
Among the protesters was a group that had travelled from KwaZulu-Natal, including controversial cultural activist Ngizwe Mchunu.
On Monday, the group marched from Quigney to the city hall to hand over a memorandum to Cogta deputy minister Zolile Burns-Ncamashe.
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Nobuntu Gantana confirmed that vehicles believed to belong to foreign nationals were stoned, smashed and torched by rioting protesters.
Gantana also confirmed that one business was also torched.
Premier Oscar Mabuyane said the outbreak of violence and the destruction of property was “a concern”.
“We are concerned about people from other provinces, with the history of causing anarchy and chaos, coming to mobilise people here. That is tantamount to inciting violence.
“There is nothing wrong with people protesting, but those who organised the march must understand the consequences. We do not want the July Unrest 2.0,” Mabuyane said.
Speaking before the violence erupted, Ngobese-Zuma said the country had “kept quiet while foreign nationals were doing as they pleased, so much so that they feel that they need to bring a king here”.
“We are going to make sure that we put more and more pressure on our government to make sure that these people leave our country before they get even more entitled and even more arrogant,” she said.
ActionSA provincial chair Athol Trollip confirmed that he and some members of his party, including national spokesperson Lerato Ngobeni, were part of the protest.
“Who said they’re going to make the Eastern Cape an Igbo homeland?” Trollip asked. “We cannot allow people from foreign countries to come and establish phony kingships … I was hoping to be able to convey that message, but before we could do that, one of the marchers got stabbed and they paraded him on the vehicle and showed his stab wound.
“And then that set off an already very emotional tense atmosphere … [and] the march got completely out of control,” Trollip said. −
Daily Dispatch
Asanda Nini,Mpumzi Mshweshwe
www.sowetan.co.za