Government calls for calm after KuGompo erupts over crowning of Nigerian ‘Igbo king’

Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane and the national government have called for calm after a violent protest in KuGompo (formerly East London) on Monday over the alleged coronation of a Nigerian “Igbo king”.

The march, intended to deliver a memorandum of demands to the mayor’s office, drew residents, civil society groups, traditional leaders and political parties, with protesters arriving in taxis from as far as KwaZulu-Natal.

Organisations involved included Operation Dudula and the March and March movement led by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma.

Chaos erupted as demonstrators clashed with police, who deployed stun grenades in an attempt to restore order.

Cars were torched, shops were looted, and streets were blocked. By Monday afternoon, no arrests had been made.

Escalating violence

Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said the demonstration began peacefully, but turned volatile after a petition was handed over at the City Hall.

“Violence broke out when some participants moved away from City Hall,” said Gantana.

On Monday afternoon, emergency services, including the fire department and the Public Order Policing Unit, remained on-site. “This is an active scene,” said Gantana.

Root of the conflict

At the heart of the unrest is a viral video and images circulating on social media showing the so-called crowning of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko as the ‘Igwe Ndigbo’ of KuGompo.

Local traditional leaders, including Prince Xhanti Sigcawu, have condemned the move as a “flagrant violation” of the authority held by the AmaRharhabe kingdom.

Sigcawu has called on the government to immediately deport those involved, arguing that foreign nationals cannot be permitted to establish parallel monarchies on South African soil.

ActionSA leader Athol Trollip joined the march, citing the party’s stance against illegal immigration and stating that the party stands firmly with local traditional leaders and their communities.

Trollip warned that creating a “homeland” for foreign nationals echoed the painful history of apartheid-era divisions and would not be tolerated.

“This is a sovereign nation, protected by a Constitution,” Trollip told reporters. “There is no provision for a foreign national to be coronated as a king here, let alone talk of establishing a homeland. We will not allow this to happen."

Looting and arson

Foreign shopowners, however, bore the brunt of the protesters’ anger.

A Somali national, Adam Hassan, said the protesters looted a tyre shop and then burned the tyres in the streets.

He said many shopowners had been aware of the planned protests and, out of caution, chose not to open their businesses.

“We got information that there was going to be a protest, so many of us didn’t open our businesses. Then there was also a group of locals, I think they were part of the organisers, who were walking around Buffalo Street, requesting all the shops to close down.”

Hassan said things turned violent when another group got out of a taxi and began beating anyone they thought was a foreigner, while demanding to see asylum papers.

"They tried to loot a truck but failed to open it. They took the battery and the car keys. They looted two butcheries, set alight cars and damaged many more. It’s not only foreign nationals whose cars were damaged — there are locals as well,” he said.

Another Somali businessman, Gech Dachasa, said many foreign nationals had heard about the march and decided not to open their shops.

“They came in big numbers around 12 o’clock, forced themselves into butcheries that were open, and looted meat, drinks, bread and everything they could find. Everything happened so fast. Within seconds, they started burning cars. The police arrived quickly, and the protesters ran away,” said Dachasa.

“I don’t feel good because I didn’t come here to cause problems. This is unacceptable, no matter what happened here or there. People must stop and solve the issue.”

Dachasa said he didn’t know anything about the Igbo king. “We are running our businesses to survive. We have not appointed any king here. Because of this king, people’s properties are being damaged.”

Government intervention

The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) has called for unity.

BCMM spokesperson Bongani Fuzile said recent inflammatory and deeply irresponsible comments by certain foreign nationals had caused widespread concern across communities, particularly in the Eastern Cape.

“These utterances, which arrogantly lay claim to land, authority and identity within South Africa, are not only reckless but also threaten the social cohesion and stability we have worked so hard to build as a nation,” said Fuzile.

“As the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, we pledge our full solidarity with the people of South Africa in defence of our country, our dignity, and our democratic order.”

The deputy minister of traditional affairs, Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe, who was in KuGompo to receive the memorandum at City Hall, said the so-called coronation was an illegal act that undermined South Africa’s sovereignty.

Efforts to defuse tensions were under way on Monday, with Burns-Ncamashe confirming that a high-level meeting involving the Presidency, state security, the police, Home Affairs, and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation had been scheduled for 8 April.

“We will be meeting with the Nigerian high commissioner, who has also written a letter to the premier of the province, expressing the apology of the Nigerian government,” said Burns-Ncamashe.

The meeting is expected to pave the way for a formal visit to the palace of the AmaRharhabe king, Vululwandle Sandile, where further discussions will take place.

Burns-Ncamashe also indicated that the Nigerian envoy would probably engage with the local Igbo community, which also expressed its intention to apologise.

The deputy minister reiterated the importance of legal compliance for all foreign nationals residing in South Africa.

“All foreign nationals must abide by the laws of the republic, whether in society or in business. We must avoid situations where individuals overstep,” he said.

Calls for calm

Premier Mabuyane also weighed in, calling for calm and urging communities to act within the confines of the law. The premier’s spokesperson, Sonwabo Mbananga, said the government was deeply concerned about rising tensions and the potential for instability.

“While we recognise the deep-seated frustrations within communities, no grievance justifies the destruction of property, intimidation of individuals, or the undermining of the rule of law,” he said.

Mbananga added that the Nigerian diplomatic mission had clarified that the controversial event involving members of the Nigerian community was cultural in nature and not an attempt to assert territorial sovereignty.

Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and refrain from vigilantism, warning that law enforcement agencies will act decisively against criminal elements.

Community leaders and civil society organisations have also been called on to help de-escalate tensions and promote social cohesion.

On Monday afternoon, the situation in KuGompo remained tense, with residents advised to avoid affected areas while authorities continued to monitor developments. DM

This article first appeared in Algoa FM.