Cabinet on Thursday expressed its deep concern about the spate of attacks on, and killings of, Somalis in some parts of South Africa, as well as the impressions this creates.
Briefing the media at Parliament after Wednesday’s fortnightly Cabinet meeting, government communications head Themba Maseko said these attacks had fuelled impressions that South Africans were xenophobic.
Police investigations were still ongoing to establish the factors, other than xenophobia, possibly contributing to these senseless attacks.
The issue could not be over-simplified as just xenophobia, because the attacks were in the main only against Somalis.
Indications so far were that tensions and conflict within the Somali community could play a role, as well as common criminality.
Progress was being made with the arrest of some of those responsible.
Because of the bad impressions the attacks created abroad, South Africans had to be ”educated”.
Such attacks were against the letter and the spirit of the Constitution.
”Government condemns any attack on any person, including foreigners, on South African soil, irrespective of reason or motive,” he said.
”Our freedom was built, among other things, on the back of many South Africans living in exile in many countries around the world where they were welcomed with open arms.
”This government will not tolerate attacks on any citizens of the world,” Maseko said. — Sapa