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Foreign nationals in Addo say they have been warned not to return to Valencia due to safety concerns.
Sundays River Municipality Speaker Siseko Nodonti says a public meeting held in Addo, with residents of Valencia township and foreign nationals, was unsuccessful.
The meeting followed recent violence that led to the deaths of four people and the displacement of many foreign nationals.
Nodonti says local residents remain opposed to allowing foreign nationals to return to the area.
“The public meeting of yesterday, I can tell you that it was not successful. It was not successful because of the fact that the community members did not agree with us to bring the foreign nationals back to their homes, where they are residing,” says Nodonti.
He adds that another meeting will take place today with all affected stakeholders in an attempt to find a solution and allow foreign nationals to safely return to their homes.
VIDEO | Addo violence leaves 4 dead:
Foreign nationals in Addo say they have been warned not to return to Valencia due to safety concerns. A number of displaced individuals are currently camping outside the local police station, with some indicating they may need to relocate to other provinces.
A woman, who asked to remain anonymous, says many displaced families now have nowhere to go.
“We have our property here in the location, but we can’t go for now because the situation is very bad for us and we have kids and we have everything and we don’t have a place to go now. So, can you give us a place to stay for now, for our kids. Maybe the councillor is going to give us two weeks to prepare our things, I don’t know,” she says.
VIDEO: Motive still unknown for the deadly violent incident between local, foreign nationals in Addo
A resident,from Valencia township in Addo, who asked to remain anonymous and had a Zimbabwean national renting on her property, recalls what happened in her house on Sunday morning. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/2nNqhnPKBr
— Lerato Fekisi (@LThipa) May 26, 2025
