Hundreds of Zimbabwean nationals who fled attacks in South Africa are now being processed in a border town in Zimbabwe.
At least 400 people affected by xenophobic attacks in the city of Durban crossed into Zimbabwe late on Monday, spending the night at a camp set up in the border town of Beitbridge. They are expected to leave to different destinations across Zimbabwe later on Tuesday.
South Africa saw a wave of xenophobic attacks at the end of March, starting in Durban, and later spreading to the townships in and around Johannesburg. At least eight people were killed and thousands of others displaced.
Brenda Mavenge said she left Durban after her husband was attacked. “My husband was attacked [and] he is in hospital right now. The men who attacked us took all our possessions, even cell phones. Now how will I communicate with my husband who is still in South Africa?” Mavenge asked.
Some South Africans have protested against the xenophobic attacks
The upsurge in xenophobic violence in South Africa that started in the port city of Durban a few weeks ago has angered African countries, many of whose citizens have been targeted.
Foreign-owned shops have also been attacked and looted in Johannesburg, which experienced the worst of similar violence in 2008.
African nations feel particularly affronted by the attacks, given the support the continent gave to South Africa during its long fight against white-minority rule. Here are some reactions:
Zambia: Music blackout and boycott
Zambia’s biggest private radio station Q FM has announced on its Facebook pagethat it has “indefinitely blacked out the playing of South African music in protest against xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals taking place in that country”.
The radio station now features a special protest logo on its Facebook page
“We need to send a clear message to South Africans that violence on fellow Africans negates African unity which the forefathers of the continent fought for,” the station said.
Protesters in Zambia were encouraged to wear black using the hashtag #blackfriday
Earlier, a small group of Zambian protesters went to the South African High Commission in Lusaka to complain about the xenophobia, reports the BBC’s Meluse Kapatamoyo.
Malumbo Siwale in Zambia tweeted using the hashtag #blackfriday, which has been trending on twitter in Zambia: “Not buying or using South African products today, fight #xenophobia by pressuring the #SA govt to act #blackfriday”.
Mozambique: Mine and gas workers evacuated
A road block has been set up near the Ressano Garcia border post with South Africa by a group of people who are stopping vehicles with South African number plates from entering the country and reportedly stoning some of them.
Mozambican workers at mining and gas companies have also protested about the violence, downing tools on Thursday demanding that South African employees leave – and that their jobs should be taken by those fleeing the violence in South Africa, says the BBC’s Jose Tembe.
South Africa’s largest oil producer Sasol is repatriating 340 South Africans from Mozambique
South African petrochemicals firm Sasol and Brazilian mining giant Vale have since evacuated some of its foreign workers.
The government has asked people not to retaliate against South Africans and urged Mozambican not to go to South Africa – some make the trip from the capital, Maputo, to go shopping at the weekend – so the situation does not escalate. An anti-xenophobia march in Maputo is also planned for Saturday.
A Mozambican youth group has posted this suggestion on its Facebook page: “In view of the xenophobic disgrace coming from South Africa, the Youth Parliament advocates that electricity and gas supplies to South Africa be suspended until [South Africa’s President] Jacob Zuma comes to Mozambique to redeem himself.”
Malawi: Goods boycott call
There have been calls for people to stop buying South African goods and services, spearheaded by John Kapito, executive director of the Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA).
“We’re urging Malawians to boycott all South African shops and goods,” he told the BBC.
“We’re giving them one week to close their shops. On Friday next week we will physically close all South African shops like Shoprite and Game, if they don’t close on their own. If they don’t want us in their country, we don’t want their goods here too.”
Billy Mayaya, an activist in the capital, Lilongwe, has said that there are street demonstration planned next Tuesday, where protesters will deliver a petition to the South African High Commission – two days after the government plans to begin the repatriation of some of its citizens from South Africa.
Zimbabwe: Protest and artist boycott calls
The protesters sang the South Africa national anthem Nkosi Sikelela’ iAfrica (God Bless Africa)Riot police dispersed the protesters
Riot police in the capital, Harare, dispersed a crowd of protesters outside the South African embassy after they tried to force open the gates.
They were singing the South African national anthem Nkosi Sikelela’ iAfrica (God Bless Africa) and the deputy ambassador eventually came out to receive their petition.
Hashtags about xenophobia are trending – and the BBC’s Brian Hungwe in Harare says there are some messages going around on WhatsApp encouraging people to boycott South African acts at the upcoming Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa), which runs from 28 April to 2 May – but no artists have cancelled.
Zimbabwe’s state-owned Chronicle reports that repatriation documents for 1,000 Zimbabweans in Durban have been arranged and the evacuation will begin on Sunday.
Nigeria: MPs debate action
Lawmakers in the lower house passed a motion on Thursday to recall the Nigerian ambassador to South Africa for consultations over the attacks. But an amendment calling for Nigeria to sever diplomatic ties with South Africa was defeated.
The MPs also debated whether to use existing legislation to put pressure on South African businesses in Nigeria if the attacks continued.
A video has surfaced showing Nigerian pastor, T.B. Joshua, warning South Africans of a “youth revolt” in their nation which would result in deaths of “certain people”.
The clip, uploaded to Joshua’s popular YouTube channel Emmanuel TV, says the controversial cleric prophesied about the deadly xenophobic attacks spreading across South Africa on Sunday 28th July 2013.
“In the nation, South Africa, we should help them in prayer because I am seeing youth revolt,” the clip quotes Mr. Joshua as saying. “It will be very serious. A situation where youth will come out and… you learn that there is a protest. Some people were killed – certain people.”
Mr. Joshua’s prediction made the front cover of South African newspaper-based City Press newspaper in August 2013 when Julius Malema, the fiery leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), visited his church in Nigeria for “spiritual blessings”.
The clip was posted alongside a message from Mr. Joshua to South Africans. “If we fail to see that there are powers that cause people to be bowed down in bondage, we are going to fight the wrong battle,” he wrote, in a statement posted on the Nigerian pastor’s official Facebook page, followed by over 1.5 million people.
Twelve people were arrested overnight as anti-foreigner attacks in South Africa spread to parts of downtown Johannesburg, police said Friday.
“Twelve suspects were arrested for trying to break into foreign-owned shops,” said police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini.
It was the latest incident in a wave of immigrant-targeted violence that began earlier this month in the port city of Durban, leaving at least six people dead.
According to local reports, the protesters from a local hostel demanded foreign nationals leave South Africa, setting cars alight and clashing with police.
No injuries were reported, said Dlamini.
The scene remained tense Friday morning, with hostel-dwellers telling reporters they wanted immigrants to know they were not welcome in the country.
President Jacob Zuma has condemned the violence in parliament.
“No amount of frustration or anger can ever justify the attacks on foreign nationals and the looting of their shops,” he said Thursday night.
Locals and African immigrants in South African often compete for scarce jobs, making them a target for violence and intimidation.
Early this year, foreign shopkeepers in and around Soweto, south of Johannesburg, were forced to vacate their premises after violence and looting broke out.
In 2008, 62 people were killed in xenophobic violence in Johannesburg townships.
As shocking photos and videos of xenophobic attacks against African immigrants by South Africans shocks the world,the Nigerian Minister of State II for Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has said that from available information from the Mission in South Africa, no Nigerian casualty has been ascertained in the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.He said the situation is being closely monitored and the Jonathan-led government will do all to protect its citizens in South Africa.
He said,
“from the information emanating from our Mission in South Africa, no Nigerian casualty has been ascertained.”Our Acting High Commissioner to South Africa is in Durban right now to ensure the safety of Nigerian citizens in the affected areas. Our Acting High Commissioner to South Africa has the directive of our Government to address all issues arising from the crisis, ” he posted on Twitter.
