Upington riots: Residents avenge slain cop by targeting foreign nationals [video]

Residents of Rosedale, a community in Upington, Northern Cape, have taken matters into their own hands and declared war against foreign nationals in reaction to the murder of a police officer.

Upington riots: Why are residents targeting foreign nationals?

SABC News reporter, Ulrich Hendricks has been following the riots that have gripped the Upington community. Disgruntled residents have accused a foreign national of the murder of a local police officer whose identity has not been revealed.

This, the community cried, was the last straw in tolerating the alleged criminal activities and unrest brought by foreign nationals.

What started out as an outcry for the murder has escalated into a full-scale confrontation between local residents and foreign nationals.

Situation at Rosedale, Upington remains tense. Some community members have started moving to the houses of foreign nationals, who they suspect of dealing in drugs. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/nrcm7KmXiC

— Ulrich Hendriks (@UlrichHendriks) January 9, 2020

Community demands the release of arrested rioters

Rosedale police had to intervene when residents ransacked homes and businesses belonging to foreign nationals, threatening them with violence if they refused to leave the community.

Consequently, 20 rioters were placed under arrest and charged with various crimes. On Thursday, the Rosedale community gathered in numbers outside the Upington Magistrates Court, calling for the immediate release of the rioters.

More people join the march to the Upington magistrate's court. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/ZXb0RrfG6M

— Ulrich Hendriks (@UlrichHendriks) January 9, 2020

Of course, the prescripts of the law suggest that the arrested rioters will have to go through the judicial process. Their court appearance was still ongoing at the time of publishing this article. Thus, it is not known if they were granted bail or not.

Rosedale community says they are not xenophobic

Community members who have spoken to the media have remained adamant on the fact that their actions are not xenophobic.

They claim that they have put up with enough and the murder of the officer, allegedly by a foreign national, was the last straw.

One of the residents charged that the murder of a police officer is the murder of a nation, and as proud South Africans, the community will not accept foreign nationals.

No reports have surfaced on the condition of the affected foreign nationals. Coincidentally, the ongoing unrest in Upington erupted at the same time leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) were in the province, drumming up an emotive 108th anniversary campaign.

These are the remarks Deputy President, David Mabuza, made about the ANC’s aim to restore unity in communities and correcting their faults and failures.

"We have diagnosed the problem and are dealing with them." – Mabuza speaking during #ANC108 celebrations at Upington. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/cA31cm1xIP

— Ulrich Hendriks (@UlrichHendriks) January 8, 2020