South Africa

South Africa police revise number killed in foreigner attacks

South Africa FlagDurban - Police in South Africa on Wednesday revised the number of people killed in apparent xenophobic violence in the port city of Durban on the weekend from three to two.

Reports Tuesday had said three foreign nationals had been killed when a mob of 150 armed people stormed an apartment building inhabited by migrants from other parts of Africa. Those targeted were forced to jump from windows of the building in Albert Park.

Police said a Zimbabwean and a Tanzanian fell to their deaths, while a 23-year-old Mozambican, initially reported dead, had survived the fall and was in a critical condition in hospital.

Fresh xenophobic violence in South Africa: One killed

South Africa FlagDurban - Six months after violent xenophobic clashes in South Africa, renewed tensions between locals and foreigners were reported in the port city of Durban on Tuesday.

At least one person was killed and two seriously injured, The Mercury newspaper reported. Heavily-armed police were called in to intervene in a hostile confrontation involving locals and foreigners from other parts of Africa living in the area, the report said.

On Sunday, around two dozen people carrying machetes and other weapons stormed apartment buildings inhabited by foreigners, forcing several to flee by jumping out of windows.

South African storm's death toll rises to 18

South African storm's death toll rises to 18Johannesburg  - The death toll in a storm that struck South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province over the weekend has risen to 18, according to the South African news agency Sapa, citing government officials.

Officials called the storm monstrous. Its victims included five people - including a family of four - killed by lightning. Another four people were washed away in a car in Durban's Kwa-Mashu area.

Other dead included a person washed away in Inchanga, three dead in Umzimkhulu, three more in Richmond and one each in Pietermaritzburg and Dalton.

Six killed in KwaZulu-Natal storm

Johannesburg  - A storm which struck KwaZulu-Natal province killed at least six people, including a family of four, the South African agency Sapa reported Sunday, citing government officials.

Social Development Minister Meshack Hadebe said of the storm's devastation: "It is huge. At least 10 areas have been devastated and more than 2,000 families were affected."

He confirmed that a family of four had died in Ndwedwe. Another person was killed in the Dalton area and another in Vryheid.

Premier Sbu Ndebele told Sapa the damage was extensive and that he, together with Hadebe would be visiting the affected areas.

Yemeni kidnappers release South African hostages unharmed

Sana'a, Yemen  - Yemeni tribesmen have released a South African tourist and her two sons unharmed, a day after they kidnapped them in the southern province of Abyan to press for the release of a jailed fellow clansman, police officials said late Saturday.

The woman, the boys, ages 10 and 13, as well as a Yemeni driver were kidnapped on Friday as they drove on a highway from the south- eastern province of Hadhramout to the port city of Aden.

Armed tribesmen from the al-Maraqisha tribe stopped the family's vehicle near al-Khubar, 170 kilometres east of Aden.

Yemeni tribesmen abduct South African mother and two sons

Sana'a, Yemen - Yemeni tribesmen seeking the release of a jailed fellow clansman kidnapped a South African tourist and her two sons in the southern province of Abyan, police officials said Saturday.

The woman, the boys aged 10 and 13, as well as a Yemeni driver were kidnapped late Friday as they drove on a highway from the south-eastern province of Hadhramout to the port city of Aden, the officials said.

Armed tribesmen from the al-Maraqisha tribe stopped the South African family's vehicle near the al-Khubar town, 170 kilometres east of Aden.

They forced the driver to switch to an unpaved road leading to a mountainous area, around 30 kilometres from the highway, one police official told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

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