Man beaten to death in central Durban

The section of Pixley kaSeme Street where the murder of an immigrant happened on Thursday morning. Almost every shop in the area remained closed all day following the incident out of fears of further violence. Photo: Joseph Bracken

On Thursday morning, an immigrant man was beaten to death by a group of about 50 people.

The man, who has not yet been named by police, was accosted by a group who were marching on Dr Pixley kaSeme Street towards Maud Mfusi Street, according to Colonel Robert Netshiunda, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson. A murder case has been opened.

Two men split off from the group and approached the man, said Netshiunda. Then about 50 people assaulted him, leading to his death.

A security guard, who asked to stay anonymous, told GroundUp that the group was out targeting immigrants. He said the man was probably walking to work at around 7am when he was spotted and attacked by the group.

The guard said shop owners and residents in the area have been terrorised for weeks by groups of roaming vigilantes. He said SAPS and metro officers are hardly visible and have done little to intervene.

The guard said that even South African shop owners have begun closing their doors, fearing they may be mistaken for immigrants.

When GroundUp visited the area where the man was fatally assaulted, we saw police and SANDF members.

On Wednesday, a Ugandan man was also assaulted by a mob in Durban.

Anti-immigration protests in Durban reignited after Home Affairs issued a directive on 28 September implementing a Constitutional Court ruling that asylum seekers can’t be turned away on technicalities before their claims are heard. Home Affairs withdrew the directive on 9 October.

Violence erupted on Dr Pixley kaSeme Street two weeks ago during a march by hundreds of anti-immigrant protesters.

A group of anti-immigrant protesters was gathering on Che Guevara Road outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Thursday afternoon. It was unclear if they planned to march into the city centre later.

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