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A protest in KuGompo City (formerly East London) turned violent on Monday after a man was allegedly stabbed during a march opposing the coronation of a Nigerian traditional leader.
The demonstration, which moved from the beachfront to City Hall, was organised by civil groups and political organisations who were protesting against the recent coronation of “Nigerian king” Solomon Egbonna Eziko.
Protesters argued that the event undermined South Africa’s recognised traditional leadership structures.
Tensions escalated just as organisers were preparing to hand over a memorandum. A participant claimed he had been stabbed in the back, allegedly by foreign nationals.
This sparked outrage among marchers, who then left the main gathering and moved toward the area where the incident reportedly occurred.
Violence quickly broke out, with groups targeting shops owned by foreign nationals. Several businesses were looted, and at least 10 vehicles were set alight as chaos spread through parts of the city.
Police responded by deploying stun grenades and rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse the crowd. Government officials, including Deputy Minister Zolile Burns-Ncamashe, were forced to take shelter as the situation intensified.
Local leaders and officials condemned the violence. Buffalo City Mayor Princess Faku said while the march itself had been supported, the destruction and unrest were unacceptable. Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane also urged calm, stressing that frustrations within communities do not justify lawlessness.
Authorities confirmed that no arrests had been made at the time, and police continued to monitor affected areas. Meanwhile, the national government indicated that discussions involving Nigerian diplomatic representatives were scheduled to address tensions surrounding the controversial coronation.
