SOUTH AFRICA: 4 Immigrants Killed In Xenophobic Attacks

At least 4 immigrants, including an Ethiopian have been killed in Durban, South Africa following a wave of xenophobic attacks carried out last week.

According to Times Live, shops owned by immigrants in Durban were looted and

burnt as violence between residents and foreign nationals escalated.

Police spokesman, Thulani Zwane said causalities of the fatal attack include an Ethiopian whose shop was petrol bombed. An African immigrant whose nationality was not immediately known and two South Africans were also among those killed.

According to Zwane, the "police received reports that some of the shops belonging to foreign nationals were looted and some of them were burnt down overnight". Reports say hundreds of people fled their homes after the violence broke out two weeks ago.

28 people have since been arrested for looting and torching immigrants' shops.

In reaction to the attack, some politicians and residents reportedly said some of the immigrants are in the country illegally and accused them of committing crimes and taking over local shops and jobs, while some foreign nationals say they are legally in the country, running businesses to provide services for the residents.

Meanwhile, President Jacob Zuma has condemned the attack calling for an end to the violence and directed the police and the home affairs ministers to work with local officials to stop it and enforce laws to curb the growth of illegal trading and unlicensed shops.

He said further that:

"Those who are in the country illegally should be reported to the police and they will be returned to their countries of origin in a lawful manner."

Over 60 foreigners, including Nigerians were killed in violence that analysts believe had its roots in tensions over a lack of jobs in 2008.