JOHANNESBURG - Shops have been looted in Soweto during protests against illegal foreign nationals on Thursday night.
Earlier, tensions flared when residents clashed with foreign shop owners, with some cars set on fire.
Johannesburg Metropolitan Department spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the current situation is regarded as criminal activity and police have been deployed to the ground.
“All the owners of these Spaza shops had to be vacated. They had to be moved to a safe area," he said.
Fihla said no injuries have been reported.
Similar tensions have been witnessed in the Durban CBD, KwaZulu-Natal, where police fired tear gas at protestors and at least 11 cars were burned.
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The Fire Department responded with several vehicles dispatched to the scene. The protestors began at the Home Affairs refugee offices.
Foreign nationals at the office were advised by the police to evacuate for their own safety.
Some community members who support the demonstration said the situation could have been prevented if immigration laws were stricter and South African citizens felt prioritised.
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The Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service Puleng Dimpane, is expected to give an update on police deployments in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, as well as other identified hotspots.
Dimpane will also outline the operational measures being implemented to maintain law and order, protect communities and respond to emerging security threats.