Police in South Africa have opened a murder investigation after a foreign national was beaten to death by a mob in Durban on Thursday.
The incident happened in the Durban Central Business District, on Dr Pixley kaSeme Street, where a group was marching towards Maud Mfusi Street.
According to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, two men broke away from the marching crowd and approached a man who was standing by the roadside. The man, believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s, was then attacked by a crowd of about 50 people. He was declared dead at the scene.
The South African Police Service said it is following several leads and using all available tools to identify the suspects. The nationality of the victim has not been disclosed and the motive for the attack remains unknown.
Netshiunda cautioned members of the public against spreading unverified information while investigations continue.
The killing comes amid months of anti-migrant protests in South Africa. Durban has been a major flashpoint, with foreign-owned shops looted and vehicles burnt during recent demonstrations. Two weeks ago, soldiers were deployed to central Durban after two days of rioting linked to the March and March anti-immigrant movement.
Police say this is not the first fatal attack during such protests in the province this year. In June, a 29-year-old Malawian was reportedly stoned to death after a group broke away from a march in Pietermaritzburg and entered the Jika Joe informal settlement.
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