Jacob Zuma’s signature tune, Umshini Wam’, has become the soundtrack for the xenophobic upsurge in Gauteng.
This despite Zuma’s insistence that he does not condone moves to force Zimbabweans and other non-nationals out of the townships and South Africa.
Some victims also see a Zuma factor in the violence: one listener told 702 Eyewitness news this week that Zuma was to blame for the current spate of xenophobic attacks. “When he was campaigning to become president of the ANC, he said he would get rid of all the foreigners,” the caller said.
In unrest-hit Kya Sands in Johannesburg a Zulu-speaking member of a group planning attacks on foreigners told the Mail & Guardian: “Tell Jacob Zuma to tell Mugabe to come and get his people.”
In his only public appearance since the attacks began Zuma told a crowd in Pretoria last week: “Umshini wam’ belongs to the ANC. Who are these people abusing this song while they are doing wrong things? They are abusing the names of ANC leaders in the process.”
Zuma was in London this week attending the graduation ceremony of his daughter, Msholozi, and will later visit the ElysÃ