XENOPHOBIA: Heartbreaking Photos From South Africa

Fighting back: Immigrants carrying machetes have clashed with police in a search for locals that attacked foreign shop owners in Durban

On the move: Police officers fire rubber bullets as they disperse the gangs of African immigrants who have fought back in South Africa

Armed: An African immigrant, in a jumper and tracksuit bottoms, firmly grips a machete as violence continued to flare in South Africa

Danger: A man in an Adidas tracksuit armed with an axe charges at a photographer in Johannesburg, cheered on by a crowd behind him

Gang: A group of immigrants brandishing machetes in a run-down area of Johannesburg prepare to defend themselves against the police

Unrest: The xenophobic violence that started in Durban two weeks ago has spread this week to Johannesburg and other areas of the country

Mob: South African hostel dwellers, some brandishing sticks in an aggressive manner, stage a demonstration against foreigners

Intimidation: A man holding a wooden stick and a shield stands outside a hostel during anti- immigration related violence in Johannesburg

Attacks: A gang of local men dressed in civilian clothing demonstrate against foreigners, with one whirling an axe in his right hand

On the run: A woman in a hat dashes off, flanked by other locals, after trying to rob a foreign motorist in Johannesburg

Smoke: A woman covered in soot gestures and shouts towards foreign nationals in the Jeppestown area of Johannesburg yesterday

Chaos: Men from the Jeppie Hostles roll over a torched car in the middle of the street in Jeppestown, Johannesburg

Divisions: A man with a hammer retrieves metal scraps from a burnt-out vehicle after foreign nationals torched a car in the early hours

Aftermath: A man carries an axe as he walks past a burnt out car in Jeppestown after more unrest in the early hours of yesterday morning

Weapon: A man clutches a brick in his left hand as the violence escalates across South Africa – five dead have already died

Victim: Carol Lloyd was left injured and covered in blood after rocks were thrown at and shattered her car window following immigrant protests near Johannesburg in South Africa

People run for cover from a stun grenade and tear gas after a skirmish between locals and foreign nationals in Durban, South Africa

A child looks out from inside a deserted store in Germiston, near Johannesburg after the immigrant owner removed his goods and left in fear of attack from local residents

Foreign nationals have been seen loading trucks with their goods as they flee Primrose, near Johannesburg to escape the violence Hundreds of people took part in a peace march after anti-immigrant violence flared in Durban. Meanwhile, foreigners fled their homes

Peace: Thousands of people took part in a peace march, calling for an end to the violence against immigrants in South Africa

Hundreds of people took part in a peace march after anti-immigrant violence flared in Durban. Meanwhile, foreigners fled their homes

Refuge: Earlier this week foreign nationals, who were forced out of their homes, took refuge at camps in Isipingo in south Durban

Handouts: The foreigners, including children, were provided with food by the local community after they were threatened with violence.

South Africans are said to be angry about foreigners in the country because unemployment is high and wealth isn’t distributed equally.
The saga apparently started with the speech by King Goodwill Zwelithini who last month said that foreigners must pack up and leave the country.
Soon reports about attacks by locals on immigrants broke out. Ten Nigerians were said to be among those attacked. The king, whose so-called “hate speech” is believed to have incited violence, blamed the media for misinterpreting his words. But it did not help to solve either the international diplomatic conflict, nor the violence on the local level.

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