Riot police reinforcements were flown to Windhoek from South Africa during the first week of March in the wake of a series of violent clashes in the black township of Katatura. Ten people are reported to have died and more than 100 injured during street battles, involving axes, knives, stones and shotguns, between supporters of SWAPO and the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (the political party based on the delegations to the Turnhalle talks and led by the Turnhalle chairman, Dirk Mudge). As in previous incidents of this kind, the police appear to have played a partisan role and, according to SWAPO, to have made little attempt to restrain the mainly Herero attackers from the DTA.
One consequence of the situation has been a decision by the Windhoek City Council to set up its own industrial commando unit, to be responsible for the protection of municipal property, traffic control and other "relevant services" during riots. Municipal officials at the Katutura Welfare Home, a reception centre for migrant workers, are also to be provided with firearms. On 1 March, five Africans in Katutura were wounded when a municipal officer fired birdshot at them — allegedly to disperse a mob who were "descending" on him.
There have been further incidents of attacks on SWAPO supporters in the north. A SWAPO rally of 1,000 people at Katima Mulilo in Eastern Caprivi was dispersed by South African police and troops at the beginning of February after the meeting had been disrupted by local supporters of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance. About 40 DTA supporters were reported to have crammed into two landrovers and "repeatedly broke up the meeting by driving recklessly into the crowd". Stone throwing and fighting erupted, a SWAPO banner was slashed, and shots fired into the air. Several SWAPO supporters were subsequently arrested and detained overnight. SWAPO's National Treasurer, Tauno Hatiukulipi, further reported that his car had been attacked by DTA supporters who were known members of the Caprivi Battalion, the local "tribal army".
Attacks on SWAPO supporters are also reported to have occurred in Otjiwarongo, Omaruru, Okakarara and Khorixas.
