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There were violent protests in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa, on Monday against the alleged coronation of Solomon Eziko as the traditional leader of the Igbo community in the city.
According to reports, the protest was organised by members of ActionSA, one of South Africa’s political parties, who described Eziko’s coronation as a violation of the province’s sovereignty and constitutional order.
There were reports that the protest turned violent in KuGompo City, where demonstrators torched vehicles and buildings allegedly owned by foreign nationals.
According to SABC News, Athol Trollip, ActionSA’s Eastern Cape chairman, said the party stands firmly with recognised traditional authorities, insisting that due process must be followed in matters of cultural and traditional governance.
The demonstrators marched through parts of the province, demanding immediate government intervention and warning that failure to act could trigger further unrest.
One protester said residents were prepared to take up arms if the matter remained unresolved, while others called for the deportation of Nigerians linked to the coronation.
The protest also snowballed into severe looting as the protesters besieged a local butchery, carting away meat products, according to EWN Reporters.
In a video posted by Amilcar Baleni, a South African resident, some protesters were seen smashing the windscreens of parked vehicles with planks as they marched through the area.
“Hard-earned money of South Africans, who owe banks and still support their families in a very bad economy, is being vandalised and destroyed like this—in the name of what?” Baleni wrote.
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