By Claver Nyuki
Zimbabwean leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has condemned the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa which have seen Zimbabweans based in that country being at the receiving end.
President Mnangagwa, who is in Cape Town, South Africa for the World Economic Forum (WEF) expressed his disquiet on his Facebook account.
“We strongly condemn all forms of hate driven violence and applaud the South African Authorities for the swift way they have responded. We are closely following the situation in South Africa and are in regular contact with our South African counterparts,” he said.
Nigerian President, Muhammadi Buhari revealed that he is urgently sending an envoy to meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa on the matter.
He said, “I am sending a Special Envoy to President Ramaphosa to share our deep concern about the security of Nigerian lives and property in South Africa, and to ensure that the South African Government is doing everything within its power in this regard.”
South African opposition party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema also condemned the attacks and suggested that the people’s anger was misdirected.
Malema posted on his Twitter handle, “Our anger is directed at wrong people. Like all of us, our African brothers and sisters are selling their cheap labour for survival. The owners of our wealth are white monopoly capital; they are refusing to share it with us and the ruling party #ANC protects them.#OneAfricaIsPossible.”
Adding their voice against the xenophobia attacks, Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax denounced the attacks and implored for a lasting solution to the situation.
She tweeted, “#SADC condemns in the strongest possible terms the inhuman and violence against foreign fellow Africans in #SouthAfrica, the looting and destruction of property. SADC calls for a lasting solution.”
Nigerian artist, Tiwa Savage also voiced her concern on Twitter, “I refuse to watch the barbaric butchering of my people in SA. This is SICK. For this reason, I will NOT be performing at the upcoming DSTV delicious Festival in Johannesburg on the 21st of September. My prayers are with all the victims and families affected by this.”
Regional and continental bodies need to come with lasting solutions to the re-emergence of xenophobic attacks in order to safeguard the welfare of both foreign and local nationalities in South Africa.
