South Africa is currently under the limelight over the
current spate of xenophobic attacks which have left many dead and
homeless.
The attacks have been deadly with local South Africans attacking the foreigners and looting their shops and properties.
The origin of the attacks has been linked to a speech by King Goodwill Zwelithini urging his people to remove the lice (foreigners) from their land. This speech has been criticized as a hate speech by local organizations and foreign media alike.
Play to listen to the audio clip of the king’s speech three weeks ago in Pongola, KwaZulu-Nata saying foreigners must go back to their countries.
King Goodwill Zwelithini, meanwhile, has castigated the media for “distorting” his comments that foreigners should leave the country.
The situation in many parts of South Africa has been boiling over for the past three weeks and the speech has not helped to calm down the situation.
The attacks have been deadly with local South Africans attacking the foreigners and looting their shops and properties.
The origin of the attacks has been linked to a speech by King Goodwill Zwelithini urging his people to remove the lice (foreigners) from their land. This speech has been criticized as a hate speech by local organizations and foreign media alike.
Play to listen to the audio clip of the king’s speech three weeks ago in Pongola, KwaZulu-Nata saying foreigners must go back to their countries.
King Goodwill Zwelithini, meanwhile, has castigated the media for “distorting” his comments that foreigners should leave the country.
The situation in many parts of South Africa has been boiling over for the past three weeks and the speech has not helped to calm down the situation.
One report read about the clashes and the victims: “10
Nigerians are feared dead after angry South Africans launched a
xenophobic attack on African migrants in Johannesburg on Friday April
10th. According to reports, 5 Gabonese, 10 Somalis and 5 Congolese
students were also killed with some of their bodies set ablaze during
the attack.”
It all came to a standstill yesterday, April 14, in Durban where the situation escalated and the police finally had to be involved to stop the stand-off.
One report read after Durban fiasco revealed that 5 African migrants in South Africa were killed in the city.
The South African police is currently patrolling the area to avert further attacks on shops owned by immigrants from other African countries.
The Malawian government have concluded plans to repatriate its citizens in South Africa following the increased rate of xenophobic attacks.
Last week, Ikechukwu Anyene, the president of the Nigerian Union, a Nigerian group based in South Africa, has called for help from the Nigerian government to stop xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.
It all came to a standstill yesterday, April 14, in Durban where the situation escalated and the police finally had to be involved to stop the stand-off.
Women and children take refuge at the local Chatsworth police station, south of Durban, after a xenophobic attack
A man holds a knife following clashes between a group of locals and police in Durban
A man kisses a machete after clashes broke out between a group of locals and police in Durban
Members
of the South African Police Services (SAPS) try to control a protester
after clashes broke out between a group of locals and police in Durban
Foreign nationals gesture after clashes broke out between a group of locals and police in Durban
Men run from police as rioting and looting was quelled during anti-foreigner violence in Durban
Police clear the streets as rioting and looting is being quelled during anti-foreigner violence in Durban
The South African police is currently patrolling the area to avert further attacks on shops owned by immigrants from other African countries.
The Malawian government have concluded plans to repatriate its citizens in South Africa following the increased rate of xenophobic attacks.
Last week, Ikechukwu Anyene, the president of the Nigerian Union, a Nigerian group based in South Africa, has called for help from the Nigerian government to stop xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.
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