Cape Town - The murder of a young Hermanus girl has resulted in xenophobic attacks as the police arrested a foreign national.
The residents of the small town gathered yesterday baying for the blood of foreigners living in Zwelihle.
They even asked officials to assist them in getting rid of all non-South Africans in protest of the gruesome find. The unknown girl, estimated to be about 14 years old, was found on Tuesday morning. Her body was discovered in a plastic bag by a passer-by going to work in Zwelihle.
Overstrand Municipality deputy mayor Lindile Ntsabo said: “On Wednesday around 8.30am, I received a call that there was a body found by people going to work, so we activated the police and ambulances.
“It was discovered that it was a child who was dumped; it is alleged that she was raped. Later that day, with the use of CCTV cameras, it was discovered by the police that one of the vehicles in the vicinity was that of the suspect. He was taken in for questioning.
“Around 9pm a group of young people gathered in front of the man’s house and } burnt the house, which the man is renting.”
He added that yesterday morning youngsters gathered in protest about the murder.
“Yesterday, the young kids took to the streets to say enough is enough. It was difficult to control them because there is no system to deal with them. They demanded that all foreigners must vacate houses in the community and I advised that we have a general public meeting,” he explained.
“The people also demanded that the police release the suspect to them but I explained that the law doesn’t allow us to do that.”
When the Cape Argus arrived in Zwelihle, residents were standing around a police van listening to Ntsabo before burning tyres and marching through the township.
Resident, Khuthala Mgwebi said: “The girl was mutilated and we suspect that she was raped because she was naked when she was found and that was done by a foreigner, a Malawian.
“What makes residents angry is that the person taken in for questioning was at the scene and he asked if there were cameras around and later he was taken in by the police.”
Angry residents torched the house that the suspect resided in with his girlfriend. “People don’t want him back in the area, and that is why they burnt the house }
“It is mostly the youth who stood up because they were asking if they are going to be the next victims.
“Last year, a young girl was murdered and dumped in the bushes near the mountain and no one was held responsible for that case and we can’t have another child murdered in our township.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said Hermanus SAPS registered a murder case for investigation after the body of an unknown female believed to be in her twenties was found in Still Street.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are the subject of a police investigation. We can confirm that an adult male was taken in for questioning. The investigation continues.”
Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.