The spate of xenophobic violence in Alexandra has to be contained or it will cause problems in the future, Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba said on Friday.
On Sunday, three people were killed and about 60 injured when mostly foreign nationals — mainly from Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe — were attacked in the township. They were apparently accused of crime and taking jobs from local people.
Police have since arrested more than 50 people for various crimes, including rape, murder and robbery. The violence has also spread to Diepsloot in Johannesburg.
Makgoba told religious leaders that it is unacceptable that foreign nationals are attacked and displaced. ”Foreigners are welcomed; the Bible says so,” he said.
Speaking after visiting the Alexandra and Bramley police stations where displaced foreigners have been accommodated, he said he was deeply touched by the situation and that it was unacceptable that people were treated badly.
”Do not lose hope in your difficult time, God is there,” he told the foreigners, urging them not to fight back.
The archbishop was in Alexandra to investigate the reasons for the xenophobic violence that began on Sunday. Together with religious leaders, he marched through the streets of the township singing hymns and prayed for calm and reconciliation.
He said a lack of service delivery was one of the key factors that led to the violence.
Forced out
Rocky Moyo (22), from Zimbabwe, said he was forced out of the house he was renting on Sunday night. ”I jumped out of the window when a crowd stormed into the house,” he said.
He lost all his furniture and passport. When he returned later during the night, he fought people occupying the house.
A resident of Alexandra who identified himself only as George said foreigners should leave the township because they cannot be traced once they commit crimes — and they are willing to work for a low salary.
He said that because foreigners are employed as cheap labour, South Africans are unable to find employment, and employers prefer foreigners.
”The next move is for us to remove them from factories where they are employed, to indicate our seriousness on the influx of foreigners,” he added.
Deputy Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba on Wednesday said attacks on foreign nationals could lead to revenge attacks on South Africans abroad.
Gauteng minister of agriculture Khabisi Mosunkutu said all those who are behind the violence will be traced and arrested. ”No one has the right to terrorise you,” he said.
‘Same as racism’
The xenophobia that fuelled this week’s attacks on residents in Alexandra and Diepsloot is no different from the racism of apartheid, said the Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) on Friday.
”In the same manner that we fought against racism, sexism and all forms of discrimination, we must fight against the hatred of foreign nationals,” said the ANC, adding that there was no excuse for the attacks. ”People should leave issues of illegal immigration to the government to sort out in a legal and humane manner.”
The ANC said its national, provincial and regional leadership will be addressing public meetings across Gauteng this weekend to try to stop criminals using discrimination, hatred and fear to destabilise communities.
On Friday, People against Suffering Suppression, Oppression and Poverty (Passop) said the organisation will be taking part in a protest march on Saturday in Cape Town against the xenophobic attacks as well as the current situation in Zimbabwe.
Passop said it will — along with the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the South African Communist Party, the ANC and other organisations — march to Parliament at noon on Saturday.
The organisation said many immigrants are undocumented or illegal not by choice but because the government is not processing refugee applications fast enough. ”The refugees should not be punished for governmental shortcomings,” it said.
Arrests
Also on Friday, Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) said it is concerned that victims of the attacks continue to be arrested and detained by members of the police.
The organisation said during attacks at Olifantsfontein on the East Rand, 32 foreign nationals were attacked, robbed of their belongings and told by their attackers to leave South Africa. ”The police in response to these attacks proceeded to arrest these victims as they were unable to produce any documentation as to their lawful status in South Africa.”
The arrested foreigners were then transported to Lindela repatriation centre where they are being detained pending deportations.
”There appears to be no consideration for the protection of these victims despite assurances made by the minister of home affairs,” LHR said, adding that the victims of the attacks are being deprived of their right to lay complaints and criminal charges.
”Surely criminals must not be encouraged to attack foreign nationals because they know that they will most likely be deported before they are able to act at witness in a trial,” it added. — Sapa