South Africa's Xenophobia: Violence Breaks Out as Students Demand Foreigners Leave Schools
- Violence has again erupted in Cape Town as students have protested against the presence of foreign nationals in schools
- Learners, according to reports, disrupted classes at Masibambane and Hector Peterson High Schools amid escalating unrest
- Police have restored order while investigating reports of assaults, looting and attacks on traders and vehicles
Tensions flared in South Africa this week after a school protest in Cape Town spiralled into violence, with students demanding that foreign nationals leave their schools.
Source: Twitter
The unrest broke out on Wednesday, May 27, at Masibambane High School and Hector Peterson High School in Kraaifontein, where large groups of learners abandoned classrooms and poured into the streets, bringing normal school activities to a halt.
Footage shared online showed students in uniform running through roads, chanting and causing disruption, while some roadside fruit sellers were reportedly attacked and goods looted as the situation escalated.
Police said the protest turned violent after some learners allegedly assaulted a foreign national and targeted informal traders during the demonstration. There were also reports of stones being thrown at passing vehicles, including cars linked to school staff.
The crowd later moved towards the Kraaifontein Police Station, further disturbing public order and affecting nearby shops and stalls before security forces stepped in.
Police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk said officers were called in around 8:30 a.m. after large groups of students began protesting over the presence of foreign nationals in schools.
According to Briefly News, he said,
“Learners threw stones at passing vehicles and vandalised roadside stalls as they moved through the neighbourhood to mobilise more pupils from other schools”
The Western Cape Education Department confirmed that the disturbance started at Masibambane Secondary School before spreading to nearby schools and surrounding communities.
Authorities have since launched investigations into the incident and say they are monitoring the situation closely to prevent further violence.
South Africa has continued to experience repeated tensions over immigration, and this latest school-based protest adds to the ill-trend.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans protest against foreigners again
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that South African police used rubber bullets and teargas to disperse hundreds of protesters in Durban during renewed anti-immigration demonstrations targeting Nigerians and other foreign nationals.
The protesters, including members of political and vigilante groups, accused undocumented migrants of taking jobs and worsening insecurity, while some residents blamed corruption and rising unemployment for deepening social frustrations.
Authorities responded swiftly as tensions escalated amid fears of looting and violence. However, observers warned that persistent economic hardship could continue to fuel anti-foreigner sentiments across parts of South Africa.
Two Nigerians killed in South Africa
Previously, Legit.ng reported that two Nigerians, identified as Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, were killed in South Africa amid rising xenophobic tensions.
The Nigerian Consul-General, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, said Emmanuel died after allegedly being assaulted by South African National Defence Force personnel, while Andrew was later found dead after his arrest following an altercation with metro police officers.
The Consulate, however, demanded a transparent investigation into both deaths.
Source: Legit.ng
