JUST IN: Police arrest KZN ‘shutdown’ ringleader

Police have confirmed the arrest of an alleged protest leader in KwaZulu-Natal.

Officials said the man threatened to shut down Moses Mabhida Stadium with his followers to prevent the MTN8 Cup Final between Orlando Pirates FC and Mamelodi Sundowns from taking place.

“The suspect had gathered a group of people at King Dinizuku Park with the aim of staging a march. Those who were with him managed to run away,” said police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.

Netshiunda warned that anyone who threatens to cause instability “will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”

Protests

The arrest comes amid 19 others in the province since anti-illegal immigrant protests broke out on Thursday.

Tensions that have long bubbled once again boiled over this week after a Home Affairs directive on asylum seekers saw department offices flooded with foreign nationals, and speculation that illegal immigrants would not be turned away or sent home if they simply applied for asylum. The directive was later withdrawn.

In July, the Constitutional Court ruled that refugees and asylum seekers must be given the opportunity to access processing centres, regardless of whether they entered South Africa illegally.

Arrests

On Saturday, police confirmed that 15 people were arrested on Friday night following violent protests in Durban and surrounding suburbs. Four suspects were arrested on Thursday for attempted murder and discharging a firearm in public.

The suspects will face charges of public violence and malicious damage to property, with the possibility of other charges being added. Two houses were burnt in the Umbilo area, while several shops were damaged in and around Durban. A few of those damaged shops were looted.

Most of the arrested suspects are reportedly students.

Investigations are continuing, with more arrests expected.

This is a developing story

Additional reporting by Vhahangwele Nemakonde