PRETORIA - Over 900 arrests have followed nationwide protests against illegal immigration and alleged criminal activity.
Charges include public violence, looting, incitement, and breaches of the Immigration Act.
In Gauteng, one person died in Alexandra during an alleged looting of foreign-owned spaza shops, while two were injured in Hillbrow when gunfire erupted.
"More than 900 persons were arrested during yesterday's operations," said National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) chairperson, Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili.
"This included the marches in terms of gatherings and other law enforcement operations that were undertaken throughout the country. Whilst we were focusing on the marches, for some, policing continued to happen, hence the total of more than 900 persons that were arrested."
Mosikili says the majority of those arrested were illegal foreigners.
"Some were arrested for public violence, some for harbouring illegal immigrants in terms of the Immigration Act, some for business robbery at spaza shops," she said.