/ 19 July 2010

Talk of violence played down, but security is tight

South African authorities might be denying a xenophobic upsurge in the wake of the World Cup, but they are taking no chances.

A Mail & Guardian visit to some of the hotspots during the 2008 violence revealed a large and visible security force presence.

Days before the World Cup final soldiers and police were deployed to Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, in an apparent show of force.

Zweli Mnisi, the spokesperson for Nathi Mthetwa, the Minister of Police, said the deployment of personnel would be continued intermittently.

He said the security force operations were not based solely on fears of xenophobic violence but were a continuation of the visible policing policy adopted during the World Cup.

“We deploy when we feel like it, and that is not only informed by xenophobic attacks,” Mnisi said.

In Diepsloot and the informal settlement of Ramaphosa near Boksburg, many police vehicles were out on patrol. In Ramaphosa, M&G reporters came across a hair salon gutted by fire. According to neighbours, it belonged to a Mozambican national who has since fled. They dismissed the attack as an isolated incident.

Asim Nawaz, a Pakistani who has owned a general store in Diepsloot for the past four years, said: “Everything is okay now, but we can’t tell you about tomorrow. People are scared.”

Nawaz said the police presence in the township was much heavier than normal. “The police are looking after us,” he said.

Soldiers and police officers visited the shop last week to show their support, he said. “They told us not to worry, that they were going to help us.”

Mnisi said that criminals who “hid behind xenophobia” were responsible for the violence and looting. He also acknowledged that some officers were intolerant of foreign nationals.

“Let’s not be denialists,” he said. “There may be some rotten potatoes, and very harsh measures will be taken against those found guilty of misconduct. We recognise that some officers are not up to scratch.”

Ndivhuwo Mabaya, a spokesperson for the South African National Defence Force, said some people with criminal intentions were taking advantage of the end of the World Cup and that any threats would not be taken lightly.

“The might of state security forces can be deployed if and when necessary,” Mabaya said.