The deadly xenophobic attacks that have ripped through South Africa recently have becoming a trending topic on Twitter, and people tweet their disgust.
In the wake of reports that Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini said that foreigners much go, a wave of xenophobic violence has hit South Africa.
He has since denied saying that, claiming, through the Royal Household Trust that the media "twisted" his words.
"He then urged the police to apply the law firmer [sic] and catch those who violate the country's laws coming from outside and return them to whence they come. We find nothing offensive [about] this, nor anything xenophobic in it or about it," Trust chairman Judge Jerome Ngwenya said.
According to ENCA Yesterday President Jacob Zuma spoke out against the attacks while unveiling a monument to slain struggle icon Chris Hani.
Hani, he said, had been welcomed by foreigners during his exile.
“We also emphasise that no amount of economic hardship and discontent will ever justify attacking foreign nationals.”
According to News24 two foreign nationals were critically injured yesterday after a shop was petrol bombed in W Section in Umlazi.
“A Somali owned shop in W Section was torched with a petrol bomb and it was engulfed by flames while two Somalians were still inside,” the website quotes a police source as saying.
“The two were rushed to the Prince M’Shiyeni Memorial Hospital for care. It is unclear how many people targeted the shop or why they did so.’
AFP reported that about 1,000 foreigners in Durban had fled their homes, and BDLIVE reported that at least three died after violent attacks yesterday.
"The deaths were reported in Chatsworth and Umlazi. Elsewhere in Durban, the police found several bodies, but it is unclear whether they are of foreign nationals or South Africans," BDLIVE reported.
Police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane said: "We don’t know how many foreigners have been killed so far but ... cases of murder have been opened.
"We are still collating information from ... police stations."
A protest march against xenophobia was broken up by police using teargas, water cannons and stun grenades earlier this week.
Police initially approved the march, which was scheduled to start at King Dinuzulu Park, but withdrew permission after being alerted to a threat of violence from an opposition group.
A group of taxi drivers attempted to block the intersection of Dr Prixley kaSeme Street and King Dinuzulu Road, just a stone's throw from the park.
Police succeeded in removing the taxis but city manager S'bu Sithole felt it was still too dangerous for the march to proceed.
Africans and South Africans have taken to social media to express their horror at the attacks.
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