Officials seem to be avoiding use of the word xenophobia in the hope that the violence in the Western Cape will subside, three NGOs charged on Wednesday.
“We call on local, provincial and national government to immediately recognise that individuals around Cape Town and the Western Cape are being targeted based on their nationality,” they said in a statement.
The NGOs — the Social Justice Coalition, Equal Education and the Treatment Action Campaign — said they had learned of at least 15 incidents of “xenophobic criminal activity” in Khayelitsha alone since Sunday.
Most entailed looting of Somali-owned shops by roving gangs ranging from 10 to 30 individuals.
A string of other incidents and threats had been reported from surrounding areas and towns.
They said Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa had criticised what he called “this alarmist phobia”, while President Jacob Zuma had said he was “not certain whether there have been threats of xenophobia”.
“It appears that senior police and the intelligence services have failed to properly brief president Zuma and the Cabinet,” the NGOs said.
“Many senior officials appear reluctant to use the term ‘xenophobia’ in the hope that this will result in violence subsiding.”
They called on Zuma to lead and support efforts to prevent attacks on people from other African countries.
They said it was inconsequential to question whether the acts were being perpetrated out of hate or a desire to opportunistically commit criminal acts.
“None of this detracts from the fact that a specific group of people is being targeted, and are very much in need of particular protection.” — Sapa