Cape Town - Intense violence has broken out within the Congolese community in Cape Town, with some residents going into hiding out of fear for their lives.

They believe they are being targeted for being against President Joseph Kabila.

In two days a Congolese resident in Cape Town was murdered and another was shot at, in an apparent attempted hit. He says he is in hiding.

News24 understands that protection orders have also been obtained as some of those embroiled in what is happening are turning to the police for help.

In the murder case, a Congolese bouncer was stabbed to death inside an establishment in Green Point in the early hours of Sunday. Several sources say another Congolese man was behind the stabbing.

Many bouncers operating in Cape Town are Congolese and there are fears that there may be fighting among them - as a battle for the control of nightclub security is developing.

READ: Bouncer stabbed to death in Cape Town underworld club security battle

There could be a fight within a bigger battle.

News24 has established that pro- and anti-Kabila factions are fighting each other in Cape Town.

On Monday, it was reported that Human Rights Watch said Kabila's regime recruited former militants for an extreme crackdown on protests against him that left dozens of people dead last year.

The December 2016 protests broke out when Kabila would not step down at the end of his term in power.

Musician's arrival

In Cape Town the tensions between the pro- and anti-Kabila groups were apparently aggravated by the arrival of a musician, Fally Ipupa N'simba, who goes by the name Fally Ipupa and who they view as pro-Kabila, a few days ago.

Based on his official Twitter account, Ipupa had first been to Johannesburg.

The performance was cancelled.

In June, an Ipupa concert in Paris was also cancelled, reportedly due to threats and protests.

It is understood that those against Kabila view some artists who perform in the DRC as siding with him.

'My life is in danger'

Cape Town-based Congolese citizen André Kaya Kotshumbe on Monday said he was targeted in Bellville a few days ago.

Two bullets were fired at his car. He managed to escape unharmed.

"My life is in very danger… All of us are saying to the (local) government to save us [sic]," Kotshumbe said on Monday.

'Political issue'

"I'm hiding everywhere now because my life is in danger… It is a political issue."

Kotshumbe claimed money had been sent from the Kabila government to Cape Town to fund the violence.

On Monday Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut confirmed the shooting, saying an attempted murder case was opened on Saturday.

Traut said the complainant had been in his vehicle when a suspect approached in another vehicle.

"Two shots were fired into the victim's vehicle on the driver's side. Fortunately, he was not injured," he said.

Protest and a murder

On Saturday the protest was held outside the Blouberg venue where Ipapu was set to perform on Sunday.

Late on Saturday, Ipapu had been in the Cape Town city centre, News24 understands

Sources with knowledge of the matter also told News24 a group of men at one point went to an establishment in Green Point.

Fighting had broken out between two groups of men. This was where the bouncer was killed around 01:00 on Sunday.

Ipapu was meant to perform later that day at the Blouberg venue.

Cancelled performance

But on Sunday, the venue issued an apology on its Facebook page saying that Ipapu would not perform.

An announcement was also posted on the Facebook page titled Fally Ipupa News.

It said the show would no longer be held due to security reasons.

The post said Ipapu's team would try and find another suitable date for him to perform.

News24 tried to contact Ipapu's representatives on Monday, but it was unclear if messages reached them.