Police engaged "hooligans" in a tense game of cat and mouse through the informal settlement of Diepsloot on Thursday night.

In an attempt to prevent a similar situation to that which emerged in Alexandra this week, police scoured the streets dispersing any groups that had gathered.

The muffled sound of rubber bullets against the metal of the tin shacks pervaded the air as police dispersed the crowds to restore calm to the township.

Residents charged that several groups of people were looting shops and breaking down shacks.

On the main road leading into Diepsloot, groups of residents had thrown stalls and containers onto the road and set garbage on fire, blocking the way.

The store room of a butchery on the road had been broken open and looted.

Tracked groups on foot

As police on foot followed sounds of groups of people that could be heard in the distance, they passed fires and debris blocking the roads throughout the extension one area.

Officers randomly searched and whipped passer-bys.

As they approached the sounds through a maze of shacks, whistling could be heard from several directions.

According to a local resident this was a warning mechanism to communicate that police was near.

A group of men standing outside a house was forced to the ground and searched.

A handgun was found, but as the owner was licensed to carry a fire-arm, none of the men were arrested.

Earlier on Thursday, six people were arrested for public violence and several shacks were burned down. This continued on into the night.

Groups of people were looting and breaking down spaza shops — mostly belonging to Somalians — as well as barricading roads, despite a heavy police presence.

Motivated by xenophobia

It was unclear whether the attacks were motivated by xenophobia, as they were in Alexandra.

Chairperson of the Diepsloot Community Policing Forum Samuel Seale described those responsible for the unrest as "hooligans", saying they were criminals and would be arrested.

On Thursday night, police arrested four men who were to face charges of public violence after the men allegedly taunted police and threw stones at them.

The men fled to their homes as the officers approached but police caught up with them and they were taken to the Diepsloot Police Station.

Sapa