Cele further says a total of 22 suspects have been arrested in connection with violence in Phoenix. A total of 36 people were also killed, the minister said during a media briefing in Durban on Tuesday.

A team of highly experienced detectives from both the province and the rest of the country made the arrests.

Cele says some of the suspects are connected to several murder cases while others have been charged with attempted murder, malicious damage to property as well as defeating the ends of Justice.

“I want to be very clear about this. What happened in Phoenix are criminal acts of the worse crime that took a racial turn. These acts have no place in our society. The perpetrators will be arrested and prosecuted.”

“A team of 31 experienced detectives from the province and nationally has been deployed and made arrests to ensure justice prevails. They have hit the ground running. Their investigations have led to the arrest of 22 suspects,” adds Cele.

Cele who was addressing the media in Durban assured that government is giving the issue of Phoenix the urgent attention that it deserves.

He says since the violence started, 112 additional illegal firearms have also been seized from various individuals around the area during police operations.

“There are 152 firearms that belong to companies, but beyond that, there are 112 that have been found, seized around Phoenix since this time started. The seizure of these firearms is within the law of the Firearms Control Act. The firearms have been sent for ballistic analysis,” says Cele.

On Sunday, members of the Phoenix community marched for peace and unity under the All Lives Matter Campaign.

Residents denounced racism and all forms of violence, and crime.

The community handed over a memorandum to the local police station with a list of demands. They want the police to ensure the safety of all residents, and that all those who incite violence and fear be prosecuted.

Unresolved anger, trauma 

Director of the International Centre of Non-violence at the Durban University of Technology Crispin Hemson says unresolved anger and trauma could be the cause of what is currently happening in Phoenix.

Fears are mounting that the rising racial tension in the area could result in clashes between police and angry protesters.

Hemson says the authorities should investigate the source of the anger and trauma.

“What we actually need is to create a space where people do not waste time saying we love each other, we are all non-racial here. I think that kind of language is probably worse than doing nothing.”

“What we are doing is that we are asking you to forget what is sitting in your head and in your heart. Rather let’s hear – what are your feelings and if you are feeling angry, we need to know why you are feeling angry. Where do the anger and fear come from,” adds Hemson.

SABC News/Additional reporting by Jayed-Leigh Paulse