Xenophobia: No fewer than 100 ransacked shops overnight in Johannesburg - Police
Police on Monday said no fewer 
than 100 people ransacked shops in Johannesburg overnight, in the latest
 wave of looting incidents in South African cities.

“We are following up on leads and we are expecting to make more arrests,” police spokesman Brig. Mathapelo Peters said.
She
 said she did not know the nationalities of the shopkeepers and police 
were waiting for owners to come forward, so that they could open cases 
of violence and damage to property.
Similar
 incidents have taken place in Pretoria this month, but police have been
 reluctant to characterised the attacks as being directed against 
foreigners.
Anti-immigrant
 violence has flared sporadically in South Africa against a background 
of near-record unemployment, with foreigners being accused of criminal 
activity and taking jobs from locals.
Home Affairs Minister Malusi 
Gigaba on Friday acknowledged violence had flared up against foreigners 
this year, saying that “unfortunately, xenophobic violence is not new in
 South Africa.”
On Friday, police 
fired tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse marches by 
hundreds of anti-immigrant protesters in Pretoria, after mobs looted 
stores believed to belong to immigrants. More than 150 people were 
arrested.
Also, a Reuters witness said
 doors and windows were smashed in, and food and other items were strewn
 on the floor in stores believed to belong to immigrants in Jeppestown, 
an area in the central business district.
“We’ve
 been stuck inside here until the police came,” Abdul Ebrahim, a Somali 
shop owner, said after emerging from his store, where a number of his 
colleagues had barricaded themselves.
“No one told us what they were looking for,” he added when asked why the mob had attacked his shop.
At least one person was arrested.
Nigerian Government on Thursday 
urged the South African government to put in place measures to end the 
incessant xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.
Minister
 of State Foreign Affairs Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, gave the task in Abuja 
during a second summon to the High Commissioner of South Africa to 
Nigeria, Mr Lulu Aaron-Mnguni, on the issue.
Recall that the Ministry had on Monday, Feb. 20, summoned the South Africa High Commissioner over the matter.
Reports
 also have it that Nigerian buildings, properties and places of worship 
worth millions of dollars were destroyed by South Africans on Feb. 5 and
 18.
“The Federal Government strongly 
urges the South African government to take all necessary measures to 
protect the lives and foreigners living and working in South Africa.
“Furthermore,
 the federal government urges the South African Government to bring 
perpetrators of these deplorable acts of violence to justice.
“The ministry continues to urge Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and law abiding, and be vigilant at the same time.’’
“The Federal Government of 
Nigeria will strenuously work towards the protection of Nigerians 
everywhere, including in South Africa,” she added.
However, the minister said that no Nigerian lost their lives in the attacks contrary to reports in some media.
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