11 May
After sporadic attacks all over the country for several months, which were attributed specifically to xenophobia, simmering tensions boil over in Alexandra, near Johannesburg.
Three people are killed in Alex between May 11 and 13 and a total of 39 people are arrested.
Dozens are injured when an angry mob takes to the streets and targets foreigners, saying they are not welcome.
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13 May
The SA Human Rights Commission says the attacks on foreigners in Alexandra township is partly due to the inability of government to deal with the issue.
The SAHRC says government has been aware of the number of illegal immigrants in the country and that attacks have been happening for ten years.
It says government needs to address poverty and directly and decisively deal with xenophobia.
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14 May The ANC Youth League calls on police to act harshly, condemning actions by "thugs and sinister forces" that are "using hatred of foreigners to destabilise the township." ANCYL Alexandra chairperson Thulani Mncube says, "Some of these criminals are trying to illegally occupy the houses using 'xenophobia' to undermine orderly housing processes." Meanwhile the DA calls for the army to help police restore calm to Alexandra and Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad condemns the violence, which has by then, raged for three nights in Alex.
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15 May Attacks spread to Diepsloot, Soweto, and two people die of violence in the area. Meanwhile the ANC in Alexandra accuses the IFP and SA National Civic Organisation of being behind the violence against immigrants. The SA Institute of Race Relations says immigrants are a permanent feature of South Africa's demographics and "current policy revolves around arrests and deportation which are simply pointless when dealing with a mass influx." President Thabo Mbeki condemns the violence and calls on police to act decisively.
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16 May
Xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg are a result of the Zimbabwean crisis, says the Freedom Front Plus. This comes as hundreds of Zimbabweans and Mozambicans seek shelter at police stations all over Gauteng.
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17 May
Six people are arrested in Thokoza on the East Rand as xenophobic attacks on foreigners spreads. Two shacks are burnt down and a number of people are injured. At least 50 foreigners seek shelter at the police station.
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18 May Violence spreads to Cleveland. Twelve people are killed and 50 are injured. The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum says it warned the foreign and home affairs departments only a month ago that xenophobia in SA was getting out of control. It says hundreds of foreigners have been targeted in townships like Mamelodi, Soshanguve and Atteridgeville near Pretoria last month. ANC President Jacob Zuma publicly condemns the violence. Mobs target Jhb inner-city and suburban slum areas, looting shops and burning cars. People and tourists are warned to avoid the Johannesburg CBD.
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19 May The death toll from attacks rises to 22 in Gauteng as more violence is reported in Tembisa on the East Rand. A murder in Alexandra and looting in Cleveland as well as shack burning is reported. There are also said to be isolated outbreaks of violence across the East Rand. Hillbrow, Jeppe, Cleveland, Tembisa and central Johannesburg are said to be affected. Police come under fire in the Jerusalem informal settlement outside Boksburg as they try to stop a group of about 500 people from looting shops there.
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20 May
One person dies and two are critically injured in fresh xenophobic attacks in the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Boksburg.
Hundreds of foreigners are housed at the local community centre. Gugulethu Everest informal settlement in Springs is also affected. It is reported that police are stretched in coping with the violence.
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21 May
President Thabo Mbeki calls in troops to help halt attacks on foreigners. The death toll stands at 42. The request came from the SAP.
It is reported that 400 people have been arrested and 16 000 displaced.
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