Zimbabweans, Lesotho nationals in bloody fighting

CAPE TOWN — Police and law enforcement remain on the scene in Nkqubela Township at Robertson in South Africa’s Western Cape as displaced victims try to rebuild their homes following bloody clashes between Zimbabwean and Lesotho nationals.

The fighting began in Robertson earlier this week between foreign nationals over access to jobs, but has deeply impacted the surrounding community.

On Friday night, Zimbabwean and Lesotho men continued fighting, but that soon spilled over into the rest of the Nkqubela community.

Rival groups went door-to-door assaulting, robbing and destroying homes.

has spoken to Lesotho residents who remained in the area and Zimbabweans who took shelter at the police station over fears of an escalation.

One Lesotho national said the driving force behind tensions was around limited access to available farm worker jobs.

A Zimbabwean man, who has been sleeping among hundreds of others on the street outside the local police station, claimed they were first attacked by Lesotho nationals.

“All of us, 300-400 people — Lesotho guys and Lesotho ladies — came to us saying they were trying to attack us. So, we were rescued by the police. By the time we went to see the situation in our street, they nearly beat us to death.”

He said some leaders tried brokering peace but as more and more people were caught up in the conflict, the retaliation continued.

“These two men came and said let’s have talks. We asked that they bring back all our property and money but they failed to return those things.”

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