Xenophobic violence: Why are foreigners not in their countries? – Jacob Zuma
President Jacob Zuma on Monday hit out at other African countries after
South Africa faced a backlash over the wave of anti-foreigner attacks in
the country.
While Zuma condemned the violence, saying immigrants contributed to the
South African economy, he also questioned why so many had flocked to
South Africa.
“As much as we can have a problem alleged to be xenophobic, our brother countries contributed to this,” he said.
“Why are the citizens not in their countries?”
Earlier in April, mobs in Johannesburg and in the port city of Durban targeted migrants, ransacking
Seven people died and thousands were displaced.
South Africa faced a backlash over the attacks and regional relations
have been strained, with Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique organizing for
some of their fearful citizens to return home.
Nigeria has also recalled its ambassador in Pretoria over the attacks
while there have been widespread calls for South African products to be
boycotted.
But Zuma went on a counter-offensive Monday, saying his government would strengthen measures to tackle illegal immigration.
“Some of them (immigrants) had very serious allegations against their
own countries to explain why they are in South Africa,” Zuma said,
speaking on Freedom Day that marks the country’s first democratic
elections in 1994.
“In fact, some of them warned us that there is almost certainly another
wave of refugees coming given the developments in their own countries.
“We have to address the underlying causes of the violence and tensions,
which is the legacy of poverty, unemployment and inequality in our
country and our continent and the competition for limited resources,”
Zuma said.
Many South Africans have blamed the attacks on poverty and a severe jobs
shortage in Africa’s second biggest economy. Undocumented immigrants
are often accused of accepting work for less pay.
The spate of attacks has revived memories of xenophobic bloodshed in
2008, when 62 people were killed, tarnishing South Africa’s
post-apartheid image as a “rainbow nation” of different groups living in
harmony.
The South African army was deployed in some of the worst hit areas last
week in a bid to crack down on the violence against immigrants.
Category: World News
Category: World News
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