Settlement tense after 11 are killed

The Sondela informal settlement near Rustenburg in the North West was still on a knife edge yesterday after at least 11 people were killed in separate incidents in the last week, police said.

“Five [people] were found dead on Monday while the other six died between the 18 and 24 November 2018 at different locations in Sondela informal settlement. We are currently treating them as separate incidents,” said North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.

He said some people were burnt and others stabbed. The first two were allegedly set alight between Saturday and Sunday.

Locals said the deaths were set off by an allegation that Sotho-speaking people were stealing from Xhosa-speaking people at the settlement.

A group of Sotho men, known as Russians, and Xhosa men have been involved in clashes since November 17. – ANA