8 Blacks Killed in South Africa After Peace Plea
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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — A clash between black factions--the day after Nelson Mandela and Mangosuthu Buthelezi called for peace--caused eight deaths and dozens of injuries, police said Thursday.
Rival groups fought with spears, knives and guns Wednesday night and burned or damaged 150 houses near Umgababa in eastern Natal Province, police reports said.
Mandela, the African National Congress leader, and Inkatha Freedom Party chief Buthelezi met Tuesday for the first time in 28 years and appealed for an end to years of virtual warfare between their supporters.
The South African Press Assn. reported that three unidentified assailants opened fire on commuters getting off a train at Umgababa station Wednesday night. It said the commuters scattered, then regrouped and began searching for attackers, leading to clashes between armed groups.
An ANC spokeswoman, Gill Marcus, said unidentified assailants attacked ANC supporters.
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