Siphiwe Dlamini
In a violent clash that unfolded on Thursday night in Kimberley, eight Nigerian men were taken into custody by the South African Police Service (SAPS) after they assaulted police officers and inflicted damage on SAPS vehicles.
The skirmish began when police were executing a follow-up on intelligence concerning a Nigerian man allegedly involved with narcotics.
“While conducting this search, a large group of Nigerians attacked police. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd,”
explained Colonel Cherelle Ehlers, the Northern Cape provincial spokesperson for SAPS.
Ehlers detailed that during the operation, one individual was detained for illegal drug possession while three others were apprehended for public disorder, all of whom are now being held at the Kimberley police station.
“During processing (inside the SAPS building), the suspects broke windows at the station. Additional charges of malicious damage to property were added,”
Ehlers stated.
The tension escalated when a subsequent group of Nigerian nationals arrived at the police station, threatening retaliation. Despite the operational commander’s orders to leave, their departure was marked by further vandalism to police vehicles.
This additional destruction led to the arrest of four more individuals on charges of malicious damage to property.
Police are currently assessing the extent of the damage to their vehicles.
“It was absolute chaos last night,”
Ehlers remarked.
Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, the Northern Cape provincial commissioner of police, has officially commended the prompt arrests made by the police.
Otola strongly denounced the violence and issued a stern warning against any interference with police operations.
“We will not allow such lawless behaviour. We are processing the suspects and working with the Department of Home Affairs to determine if they are legally or illegally in the country. Police will continue to stamp the authority of the state in the Northern Cape province,”
said Otola, underscoring the commitment to maintaining law and order.
The incident has stirred significant concern among local authorities, highlighting the challenges faced in policing drug-related crimes and managing community tensions.
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