Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Xenophobia in South Africa Condemned
April 15, 2015

Durban attacks a disgrace for SA: ANC

The African National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday say South Africans should be ashamed of the on-going “barbaric” attacks on foreign nationals that have left four people dead and displaced hundreds.“Regardless of the cause of these barbaric deeds, the ANC regards them as criminal acts against vulnerable and defenceless people who have sought refuge, solace and economic prosperity in our country,” the ruling party says after police largely failed to contain xenophobic violence in Durban on Tuesday.

ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa says South Africa’s hard won democracy also belonged to the rest of the continent and many of those who have found themselves under attack hail from countries who had whole-heartedly supported the anti-apartheid struggle.“These unpardonable attacks against them are a shameful assault on our very humanity.

As South Africans, the far vast majority of whom are deeply rooted in values of humanity, solidarity and brotherhood, we are forced to once again hang our heads in shame in the face of these misguided and misplaced assaults.”He adds that South Africans could not blame poverty and unemployment for the attacks and extended the ruling party’s condolences to the victims of the attacks.“Ours is a nation that has faced and defeated the very worst of human brutality during apartheid, our people cannot be the ones to inflict such heinous cruelty on our fellowmen.”-SABC NEWS

Xenophobic attacks: SA won’t deploy army

South African police minister, Nathi Nhleko says he will not yet deploy the army to address the xenophobic attacks in Durban. Speaking on Morning Live on Wednesday, Mr Nhleko said government is working with different stakeholders to resolve the issue. He said they are looking for long term interventions that will avoid a recurrence of the attacks.

On Tuesday, shops belonging to Ethiopians and Somalians in Durban’s West Street were looted.

Police had to use tear gas to disperse the mob after tyres were burnt.

Meanwhile, the country’s Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has dismissed reports that he has apologised to King Goodwill Zwelithini for reprimanding him over the comments he made about foreign nationals.

Addressing displaced foreign nationals, Mr Gigaba said leaders should refrain from using inflammatory language.-SABC News

Flames of hate engulf Durban

The Durban city centre was a battlefield yesterday with mobs of South Africans attacking foreign-owned shops, and foreigners taking up arms to fight back.About 200 people stoned foreign-owned shops on Dr Pixley KaSeme Street (West Street), prompting riot police to shut down the area. The battles broke out within an hour of Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba assuring diplomats from Nigeria, Somalia, Malawi, Mozambique and Ethiopia that their citizens would be protected.

At the same time the ministers of the justice, crime prevention and security cluster tried to assure the country that “everything was under control” and that there was no xenophobia.

They said the ongoing violence in Durban – which has left at least five people, including a 14-year-old, dead – was ideological.

The attacks spread further north last night. Two foreign-owned shops were looted during load-shedding in Verulam.

Police spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker said the two shops were looted at 7pm.

“A case of business robbery has been opened. No-one was injured and a 31-year-old suspect was arrested. He will appear in court soon,” Naicker said.

Police remained on high alert in the Durban city centre last night.

In the past three weeks thousands of foreigners have been driven from their homes in Isipingo, Chatsworth, Umlazi, KwaMashu and Sydenham, and placed in transit camps in Isipingo and Chatsworth.

The violence followed comments King Goodwill Zwelithini made in Pongola last month that foreigners should leave South Africa. He has denied saying this.

Yesterday, police warned shop owners on Dr Pixley KaSeme Street to stay in their shops as they used stun grenades, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse the mob.

“Please help us. They want to kill us,” Ethiopian shop owner Aka Bob Amaha said. “We can’t stay in our shops waiting for them to burn us.”

Foreigners who own shops on Point Road declared they were not willing to “be prey for South Africans”. Armed with axes, machetes and sticks, about 1000 foreigners burned tyres, overturned bins and waited for the mob to arrive.

“We heard that they are attacking foreigners on West Street, and near The Workshop shopping centre so we are ready to fight back when they come here,” a Nigerian man said.

Dozens of foreigners sought refuge at the Diakonia Council of Churches building near the Victoria Embankment.

Paramedics treated four people in the city centre.

“Three patients were stabbed. One patient was burnt. All patients are stable,” Robert Mckenzie, a paramedic with the KwaZulu-Natal Emergency Medical Services, said.

He said the burn case was in Dr Pixley ka Seme Street and private ambulances transported two of the patients.

Earlier, Gigaba, who is leading the inter-ministerial team responsible for ending the xenophobic attacks, said the police would end the violence.

“We will arrest and prosecute to send the correct message.”

He said President Jacob Zuma had issued a directive to remove foreigners from scenes of violence and to provide them with temporary shelter until they could be reintegrated into communities.

Speaking at a briefing of the justice, crime prevention and security cluster in Cape Town, Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko said: “I can tell you now that this so-called xenophobia is not that. It’s more ‘Afrophobia’. It’s ideologically driven. But we are on top of it. We are in control and are handling the situation well.

“We have early-warning centres and a 24-hour hotline. But it requires the involvement of communities to stop this sporadic violence,” he said

Asked why the government was refusing to use the term xenophobia, Nhleko said the violence was not aimed at all foreigners.

“It is African on African. It is not on other nationalities.”

Asked about attacks at the weekend against Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, he again said the violence was ideologically driven.

“We have plans in place to address the violence. Like we did when it erupted in Soweto in January and like we did in 2008,” he said, referring to xenophobic violence that gripped the country seven years ago and left 63 people dead.

Ingrid Palmary, an associate professor at the Wits African Centre for Migration and Society, said the government’s comments were deeply frustrating.

“We are in the midst of some of the worst violence since the 1980s. It is targeted at foreigners, but the fact that it is not targeted at all foreigners doesn’t mean that it’s not xenophobic. The violence is still driven by anti-foreigner sentiment,” she said.

What was surprising was how much the government invested in saying the violence was not xenophobia, Palmary said.

“It’s alarming that there hasn’t been a consistent and strong message from our leaders, with even tacit support [of the attacks] emerging from some [leaders].”

Palmary said there had not been a successful prosecution for xenophobia since 2008.

“It’s clear people are getting away with this. Prosecutions are exactly where we should be focusing our attention on to send out strong messages that this will not be tolerated.

“[The increase of xenophobia] is something to be worried about. We must ask: if it’s so easy for the fundamental rights of one group to be trampled, who is next?”

Trish Erasmus, head of the Lawyers for Human Rights refugee and migrant rights programme, criticised Nhleko’s remarks that the situation was under control and that the violence was ideological.

“It’s all very well to have academic debates about the causes of xenophobia, which are important for future prevention strategies, but at the same time we need to realise that we are dealing with an urgent crisis. We need a more coherent and decisive response from the government. It’s clear the government hasn’t learnt from its mistakes from 2008.”

XENOPHOBIA TO AFROPHOBIA

Back in 2008, after a wave of killings of foreigners, former president Thabo Mbeki said South Africa “bowed its head in shame” and promised that all would be done to prevent attacks in future.

But since then there have been many outbreaks of violence aimed at foreigners, mostly from neighbouring African countries.

Mbeki’s government blamed criminal elements and refused to use the term “xenophobia”.

He said: “E verything I know about my people tells me that … [they] are not xenophobic. These masses are neither antipathetic towards, nor do they hate foreigners.”

As violence spread in Durban and surrounding areas this week, calls were made for President Jacob Zuma to address the nation.

His administration has resorted to issuing statements and holding press briefings condemning the violence.

Zuma has assigned three ministers to attend to the issue, which his officials insist should be called “Afrophobia”.

Seven years ago, Mbeki said his government would “do everything possible and necessary to ensure that we have no need in future to proffer this humble apology, which is inspired by genuine remorse”. – Staff reporter-Times Live

Jail xenophobic attackers: ANC Women’s League

The African National Congress Women’s League in KwaZulu-Natal today called for displaced
foreigners to be helped by civil society – and for the perpetrators of xenophobic attacks to be jailed. Speaking out against the violence including destruction of property and the looting of shops in the province‚ ANCWL acting provincial secretary Weziwe Thusi said in a statement: “The savagery of the past few days has left close knit families broken and hundreds of people losing their hard-earned properties. As an organisation that has strong ties with all countries in the continent‚ we will never condone hatred which is perpetrated by just a few individuals”.

“We call on the police to arrest the perpetrators and for the National Prosecuting Authority to ensure that they are prosecuted and given lengthy jail terms‚” said Thusi.

Although the provincial government and the eThekwini Municipality are providing help to displaced foreign nationals‚ Thusi said: “We call on our people to extend a hand of friendship to our foreign nationals who are fellow human beings”.

She said emergency shelters desperately needed donations of food‚ basic necessities‚ blankets and clothes.-Times Live

SA cops, goons in street battles…•Five foreigners killed since Friday •Concern xenophobia can turn genocidal

Bulawayo Bureau—

SOUTH African police fought running battles with hundreds of locals armed with knobkerries, pangas and rocks in the port city of Durban yesterday as a new wave of xenophobia showed no signs of abetting. Durban’s CBD witnessed most of the clashes between police, foreigners and locals, with a car set alight, stun grenades and tear gas canisters being fired.

Five people have died since Friday, starting with two Ethiopians who were petrol-bombed in the container they slept in and ran their small business from.

No Zimbabwean deaths have so far been reported.

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo yesterday said Zimbabwe was watching with concern the unfolding wave of violence which he said appeared to be targeted at black Africans.

Whereas most media commentators have identified the violence as “xenophobia” — a hatred of foreigners — Prof Moyo used the word “Afrophobia”, which is a hatred of other Africans.

He warned that xenophobia could “easily mutate” into genocide.

“Xenophobia today can easily mutate into genocide tomorrow. Stop It,” the minister said on Twitter, using the hashtag #AfrophobiaInSAMustEnd.

Prof Moyo also took aim at Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, whose call for “foreigners to leave” appeared to have inflamed the latest anti-foreigner sentiment in KwaZulu Natal Province, whose capital is Durban.

“King Zwelithini must extinguish what he ignited. Xenophobia is a crime against humanity,” Prof Moyo tweeted in one of the first public reactions from a Zimbabwe Government official to the violence that has horrified many Zimbabweans.

Reports from South Africa said a crowd of about 700 people gathered at the end of Monty Naicker Road, where it intersects with Dr Yusuf Dadoo Road, in the Durban CBD — taunting police and baying for the blood of foreign nationals.

Police used water cannons and stun grenades to control the crowds. Pictures of a man showing injuries to his right leg circulated online with claims that he had been shot by police using rubber bullets.

As commuters headed home late in the afternoon, sirens wailed throughout the seaside city and a pall of smoke rose from the CBD.

Police spokesperson Jay Naicker said: “The police are still monitoring the situation.”

When asked to clarify unconfirmed reports on social media that a Pakistani national had been shot, or had been set alight, he replied: “We heard that there was a man injured but we cannot confirm at this stage as no case has been opened.” Rights group Amnesty International called on South Africa authorities to “launch full, transparent and independent investigations, and bring suspected perpetrators to account.”

“The prevailing culture of impunity must be stopped,” said Sicel’mpilo Shange-Buthane, executive director of Amnesty International-South Africa.

“Amnesty International has repeatedly appealed to the South African government, including in January this year, to develop a systematic plan involving the police and other agencies to prevent and protect refugees from targeted attacks,” he added.

Zimbabwean consul-general Mr Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro said: “Embassy officials arrived in Durban today (yesterday) to work with the host Government in identifying the affected people. Logistics will also be worked to assist those, including those without proper documentation, who are willing to return home and also how some can be integrated in communities willing to accommodate them. If there are gross cases we will be able to know them tomorrow.” The Durban violence outbreak follows similar uprisings in Soweto where foreign shops were looted and foreigners displaced three weeks ago.

In 2008, in the worst violence to date against foreigners, over a dozen people were killed – some burnt alive through necklacing, a barbaric slow-killing method in which a burning tyre is placed around one’s neck.

At the time, President Thabo Mbeki – horrified by the violence – said South Africans’ heads were “bowed in shame”.

“We’ve always known that regardless of the boundaries drawn by others to define us as different and separate from our kith and kin, and even despite our occupation of different spaces across the divides occasioned by the existence of the oceans that nature has formed, we share with those of whom we are part, a common destiny,” President Mbeki said.

South Africa is home to thousands of Zimbabweans, many of them illegal residents. Only last week, President Mugabe – on a State visit to Zimbabwe’s southern neighbour – thanked the South African government for its “tolerance” shown to Zimbabwean immigrants over the years.

“We owe you not just a gesture of thankfulness, which we must express, but we owe you that thankfulness for the tolerance there has been on the part of the government here, as our people have really offended your system by jumping the border and disturbing even the social system here,” the President said.

There have been calls by Zimbabweans on social media for locals to boycott a show by Durban-based group Big Nuz in protest against the xenophobic violence. The group is due to perform in Bulawayo on Friday.

Not everyone agrees with a boycott. One Twitter user shot back: “Might as well boycott all SA products in Zimbabwean shops over xenophia while you’re at it #slipperyslope.”

Another user @patphiri said: “So are people also going to boycott #SABC soapies/ SA PSL/ SA booze or #BigNuz are the fall guys?”

Meanwhile, Prof Moyo also hit back at ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe’s criticism of President Mugabe’s treatment of whites, saying Zimbabwe did not agree with the ANC’s view on blacks.

Prof Moyo tweeted a link to a story headlined “We differ with Mugabe on whites: Mantashe” and commented: “And we differ with ANC on blacks!”

“In Zanu-PF we reject Afrophobia,” Prof Moyo said in another tweet.

His comments were in reaction to Mantashe’s claim on Monday that the ANC “theorises colonialism differently to Zanu-PF” and has no desire to “drive white people into the sea”.

Ethiopian dies after xenophobia violence in KZN

Johannesburg – One of the two Ethiopian brothers who were burned by a rampaging mob in xenophobic violence in Durban has died, a community leader said on Sunday.

The two men were in their shop in Umlazi, south of Durban, when it was petrol-bombed on Friday night.

“The hospital has informed us that our brother [meaning a fellow Ethiopian] died. They said he died shortly after arriving in hospital,” said Ephraim Meskele, leader of the Ethiopian community in Durban.

Meskele said the other brother had severe burns and was “fighting for his life” in hospital.

“This is like a war zone. It’s like we are in Syria. I have never seen such cruelty,” Meskele told AFP.

Over a thousand mostly African foreign nationals have fled their homes in townships around Durban since xenophobic attacks and looting erupted two weeks ago.

They are currently housed in makeshift camps, as police and politicians attempt to restore order.

According to Meskele, the Ethiopian community was the worst affected.

Police said the reason for the outbreak in xenophobic attacks was unclear, with contradictory reports about the death toll.

According to police spokesperson Thulani Zwane, four people had died in the violence, but some media reports put the figure at six.

A total of 17 people have been arrested in two weeks.

Meskele blamed the police for failing to enough to prevent the orgy of violence and looting of foreign-owned shops in the townships.

“We have heard from our members that some police officers are actually encourage the looting. That is shameful,” said Meskele.

Violence against African immigrants in South Africa is common, with impoverished locals accusing foreigners of taking their jobs and business.

The government has condemned the violence, with President Jacob Zuma sending a team of officials to assess the situation.

“We reiterate that there can be no justification for attacking foreign nationals,” Zuma said on Sunday.

The latest round of xenophobic violence came just months after similar attacks around Soweto in Johannesburg.-News24

Zim minister’s views on xenophobia ‘hypocritical’

Harare – Former education minister David Coltart on Wednesday said that comments by a top official from President Robert Mugabe’s government slamming xenophobic violence in South Africa were “hypocrisy of the highest order”.

“One cannot pick and choose what types of xenophobia or racism are acceptable or not,” Coltart said in a Facebook post.

“One cannot say that it is fine to make inflammatory racist remarks against one race and then condemn xenophobia or racist behaviour directed against another group,” said the lawyer, who served as education minister during Zimbabwe’s 2009-13 coalition government.

Coltart was responding to Information Minister Jonathan Moyo.

Earlier this week Moyo had hit back at comments from the ANC’s Gwede Mantashe who said the governing South African party “had no desire to drive white people into the sea”.

Productive white farmers

Mantashe’s remarks may in part have been prompted by Mugabe’s declaration during a state visit to South Africa last week that he did not “want to see a white face”.

In his tweet hitting back at Mantashe, Moyo wrote: “We differ with the ANC on blacks!”

Coltart wrote: “To this day [Mugabe's] Zanu-PF is still kicking productive white farmers off land, simply because they are whites who do not happen to support them.”

At least 13 white farmers have been killed and tens of thousands of black farm-workers have lost their jobs since Mugabe, now 91, began a programme of white farm takeovers in 2000.

The former education minister said many Zimbabweans who had fled to South Africa during recent years left due to a “succession of brutal and destructive policies implemented by Moyo’s party”.

Zimbabweans were on Wednesday mulling holding protests against xenophobia outside the South African embassy in Harare, according to social networking sites.-NEWS24

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