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- Foreign national shop owners were attacked and their stores petrol bombed in Durban.
- The attacks were allegedly perpetrated by "young MKMVA" members, according to metro police.
- While the CBD has calmed down, police have reported injuries following the violent clashes.
Foreign-owned shops were attacked in the Durban CBD on Monday, allegedly by MKMVA members, Durban police have said.
"It is confirmed xenophobic attacks. It emanates from young MKMVA members vandalising and assaulting foreign shop owners," metro police spokesperson Superintendent Zama Dlamini said.
She said some shop owners had been injured during the attacks.
"They [MKMVA] allegedly attacked them and there was retaliation which resulted in some injuries, but the police managed to stabilise the situation. The fire department was also there because some of the shops were petrol bombed."
ALSO READ | MK vets meet in ‘posh hotel’ to plot against foreigners
Dlamini said authorities were monitoring the CBD.
"We don't have the number of injuries and shops damaged thus far because the group have moved to another location. For now, the situation is stabilised. Metro police, SAPS and fire department are present. For now, it is quiet."
WATCH: Shops owned by foreigner nationals were petrol bombed allegedly by MKMVA members according to @eThekwiniM Metro Police. There were injuries after clashes between the groups. Metro say it is currently calm after police intervention (Video: Supplied) @News24 @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/f1yFJN314B
— Kaveel Singh (@kaveels) March 8, 2021
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said a group of men had set alight three tables belonging to street vendors on the corner of Victoria and Albert streets.
"Two men were assaulted and were taken to hospital for medical attention. A case of public violence has been opened for investigation by Durban Central SAPS," Naicker said.
Police were still at the scene monitoring the situation.
The Witness last year reported that MKMVA members met at Coastlands Hotel in the CBD to discuss how they would intensify their campaign against foreign owned shops.
At this meeting, they apparently agreed to launch a seven-day campaign to remove foreign shop owners operating in the city and would assist locals to take over businesses.
They allegedly also planned to target foreign nationals operating as vendors around The Workshop mall in the CBD.
MKMVA senior member in Pietermaritzburg, Babsy Sithole, at the time told the Witness that "the only language which government understood was that of practical action".
News24 reached out to several MKMVA members whose phones were switched off, including KZN leader Themba Mavundla.
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