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THE SOWETOBULLETIN
South Africa calls for calm
Staff Reporter
These attacks have also left foreign nationals fearful of going back into the townships, and as a result many are now stranded and residing in camps and community halls. Some foreigners left the country willingly after pleading with government to send them back to their home countries, as they were feeling unsafe in South Africa. The government, various stakeholders within the country’s borders and other African states have pleaded with South Africans to stop xenophobic attacks. The attacks, which broke out on 30 March in KwaZulu-Natal, are reported to have left seven people dead. This includes the death of Mozambican national Emmanuel Sithole in Alexandra Township, which recently made headlines. The foreign vendor was stabbed and killed by four males who attacked him, taking his goods during xenophobic violence in the area. The suspects have been arrested and appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court, where the case was postponed to 4 May for a bail application.
The South African National Defence Force has been deployed in Alexandra, north of Joburg, as well as Jeppe and KwaZuluNatal to help the SAPS to stop the violence against foreigners. President Jacob Zuma blamed the ANC for the xenophobic attacks, stating that the party failed to provide leadership during the xenophobia crisis. He said the ANC made a big mistake after apartheid by not working to change the violent psyche of the nation and instead wrongly believed that the constitution would solve all the nation’s problems. In his statement on KwaZuluNatal violence against foreign nationals, Zuma said, “No amount of frustration or anger can ever justify the attacks
NEWS
25 April - 15 May 2015
on foreign nationals and the looting of their shops. We condemn the violence in the strongest possible terms. The attacks violate all the values that South Africa embodies, especially the respect for human life, human rights, human dignity and Ubuntu.” He added that they extended their condolences to the families of all who have lost their lives and wish the injured a speedy recovery. “We appeal for calm, an end to the violence - and restraint. Criminal elements should not be allowed to take advantage of the concerns of citizens to sow mayhem and destruction. Any problems or issues of concern to South African citizens must be resolved peacefully and through dialogue,” said Zuma. It is alleged that the Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini, triggered the xenophobic attacks with his recent statement ordering foreigners to leave South Africa. However, in an imbizo which was held in Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban in an effort to stop the xenophobia, His Majesty denied the accusation - stating
that the media misunderstood and misrepresented his statement. The King’s statement is being probed by the South African Human Rights Commission, which is investigating whether or not his statements constitute hate speech. The King slammed the attack on foreigners, calling for peace and war against xenophobia. “I called you today to be shields of this nation. If indeed I have called you to arms, this country will be in ashes as we speak. But I’m saying: ‘Let’s arm for peace - now I’m instigating you to mobilise for peace.’ As your king, I say ‘Calm down,’ ” said the King while addressing the crowd during the imbizo. The South African Human Rights Commission expressed strong condemnation at the spate of violence and verbal attacks on foreign nationals across the country. “The Commission cautions that these attacks are incompatible with the values of our constitution and pose a real threat to our democracy. Lessons drawn from the 2008 xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, as well as other conflicts within the region, clearly show the potential of such conduct degenerating into other opportunistic attacks on fellow
citizens that could weaken and indeed reverse democratic gains, the economy, South Africa’s standing internationally [and,] most importantly, the basic respect for human rights that South Africa has achieved so far,” said Isaac Mangena, spokesperson for the South African Human Rights Commission in a press statement. The Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi Malobane, has also urged foreign nationals who have fled their residences to return to their homes, as it is now safe to do so. In fighting against xenophobia, the government - in partnership with various stakeholders across the country - has launched various campaigns. Joburg Mayor Parks Tau, in particular, has launched an anti-xenophobia campaign to help foreign business-owners operating in the townships. The campaign is also to assist people on how to register their business and adhere to the bylaws. They have established a cellphone-based platform that the public can use to report attacks by dialling *134*422#. The xenophobic violence broke out in Durban and spread across the country. In Johannesburg, Jeppe, Alexandra, Thokoza, Germiston and Primrose were affected.