Violence flares up in Denver

At least 300 residents from the Denver Men’s Hostel and informal settlement looted shops along Main Reef and Tooronga roads in Malvern on 25 Feburary after suffering a power failure possibly caused by a heavy downpour of rain.

They were targeting shops owned by foreigners, accusing them of benefitting from illegal electricity connections from the hostel and the fact that they were not paying tax. The group demanded that foreigners close their shops and go back to the countries they come from.

Express spoke to residents who said it was unfair that they have to pay for electricity and water while foreigners were getting everything for free.

“I am not saying they should not sell or make a living, but it should be legitimate. I am paying rent and they get illegal connections from that hostel [Denver]. They must go,” said a furious resident who was selling vegetables outside the Stella Sangweni hostel.

Alpheus Manqele, one of the head indunas, said he was at work on Saturday night when he saw a group of people leaving the hostel walking towards Main Reef Road. “They had knobkerries, spades, petrol and matches. I called the police. There were too many people – the police couldn’t do anything. They [the police] then called for backup. When the backup group arrived, they fired rubber bullets, stun grades and teargas to disperse the mob,” he said.

Manqene said most of the people who use violence, do so because of hunger. “They are living in poverty and they think xenophobia is a solution.”

Another induna, Banele Khumalo said, “I was sleeping when I heard the noise. I opened my window and saw a mob walking towards Main Reef Road. People should know that violence is not a way of solving problems.”

Ward 118 councillor Neuren Pietersen said xenophobic attacks will not improve anyone’s situation. “It will only make it worse. The rioting that happened at Denver Hostel did not specifically target foreigners. The unrest, however, prevented the hostel from being reconnected to the electricity supply for about 12 hours as it was not safe for the team to go inside the hostel for repairs,” said Pietersen. He added that there are many illegal connections and it places the system under a lot of strain. He speculated that the rains could have affected the junction box.

Cleveland police spokesperson Captain Johan Jordaan said, “Cleveland officials, the Johannesburg Flying Squad and the Public Order Police attended to the unrest.” According to Jordaan, three police vehicles were damaged by the rioters after stones were thrown.

Read: Denver settlement rebuilding

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