South African police on Thursday said they were investigating the killing of a foreign national at the hands of a mob in the coastal city of Durban.
The victim, described as a male “foreign national” in his “late 30s or early 40s,” was attacked on Thursday morning by a group of people who were “marching” down a street in Durban.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) said “two males reportedly broke away from the group” and approached the victim along the side of the road, for reasons unknown.
“It is further alleged that the victim was then assaulted by a group of about 50 people and was declared dead at the scene,” SAPS said.
“The motive for the killing is unknown at this stage, and community members are urged not to spread unverified information,” the bulletin added.
Durban was one of the South African cities that experienced large anti-migrant protests in early October as part of an ongoing anti-immigrant movement. Most of the demonstrators are black South Africans who are angry about the government tolerating, or encouraging, large-scale illegal immigration that harms the job market and drains public resources.
The Durban protest on October 8 saw at least 14 vehicles and several buildings set on fire. Similar riots occurred in the town of Soweto, closer to Johannesburg. Demonstrations are ongoing, and the government has asked participants to remain peaceful.
Several other African governments, including Nigeria, Mozambique, and Malawi, said some of their nationals were attacked and killed by mobs during anti-migrant riots over the summer. Tens of thousands of migrants fled South Africa during and after the riots.
A police spokesman told the BBC that his office would not “speculate” on the motive for the mob attack and would release no further information until it could be verified. The police also refused to confirm or deny if the group marching down the street before the attack were anti-migrant protesters.
