Police Minister Bheki Cele says a total of 22 suspects have been arrested in connection with violence in Phoenix north of Durban at the time of the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal two weeks ago.
A total of 36 people were also killed, the minister said during a media briefing in Durban on Tuesday.
A team of highly experienced detectives from both the province and the rest of the country made the arrests.
Cele says some of the suspects are connected to several murder cases while others have been charged with attempted murder, malicious damage to property as well as defeating the ends of Justice.
“I want to be very clear about this. What happened in Phoenix are criminal acts of the worse crime that took a racial turn. These acts have no place in our society. The perpetrators will be arrested and prosecuted.”
“A team of 31 experienced detectives from the province and national has been deployed and made arrests to ensure justice prevails. They have hit the ground running. Their investigations have led to the arrest of 22 suspects,” adds Cele.
Cele briefs the media on the Phoenix violence matter:
Meanwhile, two political activists have landed themselves in hot water following inciteful remarks made during events to highlight the killings which took place in Phoenix.
The ANC has threatened action against its member, while a former EFF leader is facing criminal charges.
However, the former deputy chairperson of the EFF, Jackie Shandu, has now issued an apology for his “one settler one bullet, one Indian one bullet” remarks he made outside the Durban City Hall.
On Thursday, a coalition of civic groups calling itself Justice for Phoenix Massacre Victims marched to the city hall, calling for the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the deaths of more than 20 people in the Phoenix area, north of Durban.-Additional reporting by Nonhlakanipho Magwaza
The video below is reporting on the remarks by the two political activists:
