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Five more arrested in Jeppestown looting, but it is not xenophobia, say police

Another five people were arrested in Jeppestown, Johannesburg, overnight as looting of foreign-owned shops continued.

However, Gauteng police do not believe this is linked to xenophobic attacks.

Gauteng police spokesman Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini said a group of hostel dwellers in the area were dispersed with rubber bullets and stun grenades on Monday night.

Five men were arrested for public violence and business robbery.

"We believe it’s just criminal acts by these members of the public," Dlamini said.

The looting of shops in the area started on Sunday night.

One person was arrested when some shops and a preschool were looted and vandalised.

At the time police said they did not know whether the shops were owned by foreigners as they were waiting for business owners to come forward and open criminal cases.

There has been a spate of attacks in Johannesburg and Tshwane by locals who blame foreign nationals for crime in their areas.

These attacks could affect South African businesses across the continent.

Last week Reuters reported that Nigerian protesters attacked and vandalised the head office of MTN in Abuja in apparent retaliation for anti-Nigerian violence in SA.

A anti-illegal immigrant march in Pretoria on Friday turned violent and led to a standoff between locals and foreign nationals in the capital city. Police had to use rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds in the CBD.

Last week, 20 foreign-owned shops were looted in Atteridgeville‚ Lotus Gardens and Mamelodi East Monday night‚ while residents in Rosettenville‚ south of Johannesburg‚ burnt down 12 houses. On Thursday night, several places were burnt and vehicles looted in Atteridgeville.

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