- Title: South African police fire tear gas to disperse rival protesters in Pretoria
- Date: 24th February 2017
- Summary: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (FEBRUARY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) POLICE OFFICERS AND JOURNALISTS STANDING
- Embargoed: 10th March 2017 11:36
- Keywords: xenophobia nigeria foreigners south africa zuma
- Location: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
- City: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA00164VQD6V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: South African police fired tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse rival marches by hundreds of citizens and non-nationals in the capital on Friday (February 24), following looting this week of stores believed to belong to immigrants.
Anti-immigrant violence has flared sporadically in South Africa against a background of near-record unemployment, with foreigners being accused of taking jobs from citizens and involvement in crime.
Armed police had formed a barrier between citizens and non-nationals marching in Pretoria, but the crowd became unruly with both sides shouting at one another prompting police to disperse the angry mobs.
Many shops were shuttered in Marabastad, an area situated in the west of capital, where many foreign nationals have their stores, and roads were blocked as the marchers gathered.
Some of the foreigners carried rocks and sticks, saying they were ready to protect their stores.
The marches follow the looting this week of at least 20 small businesses believed to belong to Nigerian and Pakistani immigrants in an area in west Pretoria.
Residents said they had attacked the shops because they were dens of prostitution and drug dealing.
In retaliation, Nigerian protesters vandalised the head office of South African mobile phone giant MTN in Abuja.
Nigeria and South Africa, the continent's two largest economies and pre-eminent diplomatic and military powers, have a volatile relationship. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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