Outrage As Zuma Says Xenophobic Murder No Huge Problem By Ratidzo Zinyama Published: June 21, 2013 (Pretoria)There was stir on Wednesday when South African President Jacob Zuma claimed that the xenophobic killings of recent years in the country are no huge problem. Despite numerous and recurring incidences of xenophobia, it is believed the South African government has continued to downplay xenophobic incidences and been merely keen on assuaging fears than working to tackle the problem. Answering questions in Parliament Wednesday, President Zuma(pictured-right) dismissed xenophobia as a big problem in South Africa. Although he stressed that xenophobia should not be allowed to get out of hand, he said the number of Africans living and working in South Africans was too big compared to the small number of incidents and was therefore not a big problem. zuma jacob Zuma also defended South Africans and said not all of them were xenophobic, despite widespread anti foreign sentiments and undisguised hostilities prevalent in townships across the whole country. “Many South Africans protected the foreigners and I had an opportunity to meet with them in and around Pretoria and East Rand. They were very clear that some of them were saying ‘please don’t touch the foreigners’. I think even with the rare incident that happened in Johannesburg it was clear division – so you can’t say the xenophobia is such a huge problem in SA.”, Zuma said. A steady trickle of violence perpetrated against foreigners has continued since 2008, when over 62 foreigners were killed and thousands displaced from their homes in a wave of xenophobic attacks which started in Gauteng. In recent attacks, service delivery protests turned into violence and looting of foreign owned businesses in Gauteng and in Port Elizabeth . Two Zimbabweans were reportedly shot dead during the disturbances. Zuma’s words are a direct response to viral demonstrations carried out by various nationalities and organisations in protest of continued xenophobic attacks in that country. In London, Zimbabwean activist Martin Chinyanga coodinated protests that caused havoc at the South African embassy on the 9th June. Protesters laid flowers for ‘diaspora feels it’ in honor of Zimbabweans killed in South Africa, who include Lawrence Mandipazano, a petrol attendant and Thulani Ndlovu, a musician who was shot dead. Somalians and other nationals joined the protests which erupted into rupturous singing that disturbed Central London causing police authorities to swarm the area.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 04:19:03 +0000
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