Key Takeaways
- A Malawian father, Mishack Banda, was chased, assaulted and killed in the Jika Joe informal settlement after an anti‑immigration protest turned violent.
- The unrest began when an unnamed woman accused Malawians of killing her brother, sparking a mob that targeted foreign nationals despite organizers’ calls for peace.
- Banda fled toward a river, was caught, suffered severe head, face and neck injuries (possibly inflicted with sharp objects) and died in the water.
- His partner, Nonkanyiso Dlamini, and their 4‑year‑old daughter are left traumatized and financially strained; she describes the attack as pure xenophobia.
- Police have opened a murder investigation; journalists were threatened and forced to delete footage, while looters exploited the chaos to ransack foreign‑owned tuck shops and homes.
- Community members, including traditional leaders and a community policing forum member, tried to protect foreigners but were overwhelmed; many foreign nationals have fled to the abandoned Mayor’s Walk building for shelter.
- Residents warn that the violence shows how quickly peaceful demonstrations can spiral into deadly mob action, heightening fears for the June 30 deadline calling for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa.
Background of the Protest
On Friday, a march organized by the March and May movement, led by Jacinta Ngobese‑Zuma, wound its way from Mayor’s Walk to Pietermaritzburg City Hall. Participants chanted that foreign nationals must leave the country before 30 June, reflecting growing tensions around undocumented migration in KwaZulu‑Natal. The demonstration was initially described as peaceful, with organizers urging participants to keep the event orderly and non‑violent.
The Triggering Speech
During the march, an unnamed woman was handed the microphone by Ngobese‑Zuma. She stood on a bollard and declared, “I come from Masukwana Street at Jika Joe informal settlement. A few days ago, my brother was killed by Malawians, and he died in hospital,” offering no evidence or details about the alleged perpetrators. Her brief accusation, delivered without proof, acted as a catalyst for the crowd that had previously been chanting slogans but had not yet turned violent.
Escalation to Violence
Immediately after the woman’s remarks, the mood shifted dramatically. The crowd, which had been marching peacefully, became enraged and decided to “visit” the Jika Joe settlement. Despite Ngobese‑Zuma’s attempts to call the march over and instruct anyone wishing to go to the settlement to return to the starting point and start their own march, the mob ignored her warnings. Traditional Zulu leaders (izinduna) also tried to restrain the crowd, but their efforts failed as the group surged into the informal settlement.
Chaos in Jika Joe
Once inside Jika Joe, the mob moved from shack to shack, banging on structures with sticks, shouting demands to locate foreign nationals, and kicking down doors. Witnesses reported that some individuals appeared to know exactly where foreign families lived, targeting them for assault. Foreign nationals scrambled for safety, many fleeing with only the clothes they wore, while others were caught and beaten. The atmosphere was described as one of fear and pandemonium, with screams echoing through the narrow footpaths that wind between the tightly packed zinc shacks.
Mishack Banda’s Final Moments
Mishack Banda, a 29‑year‑old Malawian resident, attempted to escape the violence by running toward a nearby river that borders the settlement. Witnesses said he was pursued, caught, and subjected to a brutal attack that left him with extensive injuries to his head, face and neck. The severity of the wounds led onlookers to suspect that sharp objects such as knives or machetes were used. Unable to continue running, Banda collapsed into the river and died there, his body later recovered by grieving companions.
The Partner’s Grief
Nonkanyiso Dlamini, Banda’s partner and the mother of their four‑year‑old daughter, recounted the horror to News24. She had been sitting with friends when she heard screams and realized the protesters were attacking foreigners. Thinking of Banda, she rushed toward the river where he had last been seen, only to be told by residents that he was dead. Dlamini described the injuries as “huge,” saying it looked as though he had been chopped. She expressed deep sorrow at having to explain her husband’s violent death to their young daughter and worried about the financial burden of funeral arrangements while unemployed.
Community Response and Shelter
In the aftermath, many foreign nationals fled Jika Joe and sought refuge at the abandoned Mayor’s Walk building in the city centre. The building now houses displaced families sleeping in overcrowded conditions, with authorities scrambling to provide basic necessities. Community members such as Nomv Khoza, a member of the local policing forum, opened their homes to terrified foreigners, locking doors and misleading the mob to protect those they sheltered. Khoza noted that she saw foreign nationals begging for help, some already bearing visible injuries from the assaults.
Looting and Opportunistic Crime
As the violence subsided, criminal elements exploited the emptied settlement. Residents reported that tuck shops owned by foreign nationals were looted and stripped bare, while homes were broken into and belongings stolen. Nomvelo Khoza and other community members recovered looted goods from a foreign‑owned tuck shop, underscoring how the unrest was not solely driven by anti‑immigration sentiment but also by opportunistic theft. A resident warned that the scene foreshadowed broader riots if the June 30 deadline approached without intervention.
Statements from March and May Leadership
Jacinta Ngobese‑Zuma denied responsibility for the violence, insisting she had continuously condemned it and that the atrocities occurred after she had left the scene. She claimed that those who committed the acts would not have done so in front of her because she does not promote violence. Nevertheless, her earlier attempts to disband the crowd and her repeated assertions that the march was over were ignored, raising questions about the effectiveness of leadership in controlling large, emotionally charged gatherings.
Police Investigation and Journalist Threats
KwaZulu‑Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that a murder case had been opened regarding Banda’s death. Journalists covering the unrest reported being confronted by protesters who demanded they delete video footage; a News24 reporter was shoved against a shack and threatened before escaping. These incidents highlight the hostile environment for media attempting to document the violence and the challenges faced by law enforcement in preserving evidence amid chaotic scenes.
Broader Implications for Xenophobia
Residents and observers warned that the violence in Jika Joe exemplifies how quickly anti‑immigration rhetoric can ignite lethal mob action, especially when emotions run high and crowds enter vulnerable communities. One resident warned that if the June 30 deadline for foreigners to leave is not addressed peacefully, similar riots could erupt nationwide. The tragedy has left a young mother grieving, a fatherless child, and a community scarred by fear, looting, and loss of trust, underscoring the urgent need for dialogue, effective crowd‑management strategies, and concrete measures to protect foreign nationals living in informal settlements.