DURBAN - Law enforcement authorities will maintain a heightened presence in Durban’s CBD after violence erupted on Thursday afternoon, leaving several vehicles torched and foreign-owned shops looted.
The unrest followed fresh protests organised by movements targeting undocumented migrants, which were also behind demonstrations earlier this year that prompted tens of thousands of people to leave the country.
Police said allegations that a foreign national had assaulted a South African demonstrator sparked the violence, during which at least 14 vehicles were torched.
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KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that four people had been arrested, including one suspect accused of discharging a firearm following a chase with police on Thursday evening.
Netshiunda said the charges against those arrested earlier in the day had been upgraded from assault to attempted murder because of the severity of the injuries sustained.
He said police were investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and that further details would emerge when the accused appeared in court.
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Netshiunda said police had initially been deployed to manage a separate march amid concerns that it could turn violent. However, another march took place in the CBD without police knowledge, prompting officers to respond.
He said police were gathering intelligence and would maintain deployments for as long as necessary to prevent further violence.
Authorities are also monitoring the possibility of further protests and potential flare-ups in the coming days.