Ernest Mabuza
19 May 2008
Johannesburg — AMID warnings of a looming humanitarian crisis in Gauteng, SA's main economic hub, at least 12 people were killed and hundreds injured in apparent xenophobic attacks that spread to townships and parts of Johannesburg at the weekend.
The violence, which until late last week was mostly confined to Alexandra and Diepsloot townships, has grown more widespread, with attacks reported in several areas yesterday.
Provincial police spokesman Govindsamy Mariemuthoo said last night a number of attacks against foreigners had been recorded in Zandspruit, Johannesburg CBD, Hillbrow, Jeppestown, Primrose, Thokoza Tembisa and Cleveland.
In an informal settlement near Reiger Park on the East Rand, a man was burnt to death yesterday afternoon, an eyewitness said. Mariemuthoo said police had arrested more than 200 people on charges including murder, attempted murder, rape, public violence and robbery.
International medical and relief group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said the thousands of foreigners left destitute now amounted to a humanitarian crisis.
"I have been to many refugee camps and situations, and this definitely is along those lines," the group's spokesman, Dr Eric Goemaere, said.
He said other countries defined who was a refugee, and people were protected and granted assistance, whereas in SA they were staying at police stations and said there was a need for the government to accord foreigners "some kind of status".
MSF has presence in Alexandra, Diepsloot and visited Jeppe, parts of the East Rand and the central methodist church in the Johannesburg CBD.
"This reminds me of a refugee situation. I have treated bullet wounds, beaten people, rape victims and the people are terrified," Goemaere said.
He said the police appeared to be overwhelmed by the attacks.
"There is no way the police will be able to protect foreigners, all they can do is react to an outbreak of violence. The violence is spreading, and the situation is tense," he said.
Human Rights Commission chairman Jody Kollapen said last night that everyone, including the police, had been caught off guard and that the situation may need the deployment of the military in trouble spots .
"If we are going to secure communities and townships -- given the demands normally made on law enforcement by crime -- given the demands this will make, we have to ask do the police have the capacity. We should be asking whether we need to bring in the military.
"We have to get churches, trade unions, structures that have a presence within the community to raise these issues and say what's happening in the broader country? It's not too late to talk to people about their frustration, but prevent that from being channelled into rage against foreigners?
"The feelings of hatred that are coming out at these levels, it takes us back to the horrible days of apartheid, It is a major concern," he said.
The weekend's violence was characterised by apparently random attacks.
In the most serious of the incidents at the Cleveland informal settlement, six people were killed and 50 more were injured in the early hours of yesterday morning. Scores of foreigners flocked to the Cleveland police station to seek refuge.
In Tembisa, one man was shot dead, and two others were injured while a number of shacks belonging to foreigners were burnt.
In the Cleveland incident, police arrested 16 people for murders.
A group of about 20 men carrying knives and machetes stopped a minibus taxi in Jeppestown looking for foreigners. The taxi sped off, before harm could come to its passengers.
Mariemuthoo said while police were investigating the nationalities of those killed, he knew of one South African who was killed in one of the incidents. He also said the situation in all affected areas remained calm last night.
The Red Cross said at least 3000 people across Gauteng were now destitute.
The violence seemed to have an effect on the movement of foreign nationals. Three Nigerian nationals, who are on the cast of a play called The Lion and the Jewel did not perform yesterday for fear of attacks.
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Please stop calling it racist, racism, xenophobia or xenophobic, it's genecide. Get a dictionary and look up the differences, you are supposed to be educated media, we don't see it.
Cheers
Hi, what I would like to say is illegal immigrants should go back to their countries and obtain passports to stay in South Africa. I have no problem with immigrants who have all the needed documents as they are very decent and peaciful citizens. I wish these peoiple who are in this job should get rid of all the Nigerians who turned Jo'burg into a drug den and a prostitute place. our sisters have turned prostitues for the Nigerians and the Metro Police are making a living out of Nigerian bribes. These illegal immigrants are the one who are doing crimes and cannot be traced as our Home Affairs have got no way of controlling the influx of these criminals. Yes, our leaders have been in exile in their country but not the whole of South Africa has gone to exile in one country that is unacceptable. South African laws are so linient to these criminals as they get deported only to come back next week. They don't do that to Botswana as they know they will be hanged. With the renaming of all names for places Hillbrow should be called "Junior Lagos" as there are more Nigerians than South Africans. Illegal immigrants should get the hell out of this country period. We are tired of the border patroll police as they are also making a living out of bribes they get from foreigners, most of the stolen vehicles are found in Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. We need finger prints of all the citizens of this country as well as those of foreigners living in SA. They say they are going to pay revenge on whjo's country? They fail to pay revenge on Mugabe for putting them in this state of turmoil. Why fight for something that does not belong to you? We are proudly South Africans and they should be proud of where they come from and go back to sort out their problems. I feel bad for my fellow colleagues who are terrified because they are foreigners. They are good people who are working hard to earn a decent living without doing crime. We fought apartheid and won and we will win again the battle against crime in SA. We don't need illegal immigrants in SA period!!!
i think this writer is xenophobic. sincerely speaking, south africans are the bulk criminals in SA YOU CAN CONFIRM FROM PRISONS.
REASONS: THEY DON'T VALUE EDUCATION, THEY ENJOY SEX,DRINK,SMOKE AT THE EXPENSE OF EDUCATION.
THEY ARE SCHOLL DROP-OUT, SO THE ONLY WAY TO CONSOLE THEMSELVES IS TO ENVY FOREIGNERS.
MOST OF THEM THAT LIVE IN SLUMS,SHACKS AND EVEN IN TOWNSHIP DO NOT PAY RENT, AND THAT IS WHY THEY DON'T VALUE THE WHATEVER SERVICES THE GOVT IS PROVIDING FOR THEM.
CAN YOU IMAGING THAT SOME UNIVERSITY GRADUATE FROM NIGERIA AND OTHER WEST AFRICAN NATIONALS HAWK ON THE STREETS, OPERATE TUCKSHOP JUST TO EKE OUT LIVING FOR THEMSELVES. OTHER PEOPLE FROM SOOTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAWK/SELL/HAIRDRESSING ON THE STREET JUST TO MAKE A LIVING.
BUT SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN WASTE THEIR TIME IN BEER PARLOURS/TAVERN/CLUBS.
WHILE THEIR MALES SNIFF GUM ON THE STREET AND GATHER TO DRINK UMQUMBOTI IN LOCATIONS AND TOWNSHIP.
AN AVERAGE SOUTH AFRICAN IS NOT WILLING TO LOOK FOR EMPLYMENT SINCE HE/SHE DOES NOT PAY HOUSE RENT/TAX ETC.
THEIR WOMEN ARE COMFORTABLE WITH MONTHLY CHILD SUPPORT/GRANT.
BUT MOST SOUTH AFRICANS LIVING IN CITIES AND CLEAN NEIGBHOURHOODS ARE HARDWORKING AND DILIGENT. THESE SETS OF CITIZENS ARE NOT ENVIOUS OF FOREIGNERS SINCE THEY ARE EMPLOYED AND DO NOT HAVE THE TIME FOR BICKERING.
THE GOVT OF SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD NOT BE BLAMED FOR ANY CRIME,XENOPHOBIA AND VIOLENCE. THE GOVT HAS DONE ENOUGH TO HER HER PEOPLE,FREE RDP HOUSING,FREE MEDICAL CARE,FREE POTABLE WATER TO THOSE CITIZENS LIVING IN TOWNSHIPS, E.G SOWETO AND THE REST.
LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. LONG LIVE THE GOVT OF SOUTH AFRICA.
THE BIBLE SAYS '' NO FOOD FOR A LAZY MAN''
LAZY AND INDOLENT SOUTH AFRICANS SHOULD PUT THEIR MINDS TO WORK. THEY SHOULD STOP ENVYING FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO ARE EMPLOYED AND LAW ABIDING.
CRIME IS COMMITTED BY EVERY NATIONALS, BUT SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE THE BULK OF CRIMINAL..AN IDLE MIND IS A DEVIL'S WORKSHOP.
THANKS YOU.
I do not condone illegal immigration, nor do I accept the illegal activities that accompany it, but what happened in South Africa is a blatant disregard of the laws of the land.
I believe Zimbabweans need to set themselves straight. Last week over 60 zimbabwean prostitutes were deported from zambia, these women claimed to have infected Zambian men with HIV, and were very proud of the havoc they were causing. You cannot have 3 million people migrating for economic reasons which can, if people loved their country enough could be addressed as other countries in the region have done. South Africa has it's own problems and if you take 3 million people from across the border who cannot sort out their own problems at home, there is bound to be a crisis. Let them go back and sort out their problems at home. They are causing a lot of misery to neighbouring countries with their criminal activities. These are refugees of pleasure. They seek too much luxury. By running away they have destroyed a beautiful country, they are criminals and cowards. If there is to be blood shed, shed it at home at least it would be for an honourable cuase, rather than be hounded like animals in a foreign land.
A reply to Malcom. Your crimes were already in existance before the Nigerians arrived. Thy came and saw what your brothers are doing and they decided to join in but because they are smater and now make a more meaninful income, other SA criminals are mad at them and are trying to get back in control of criminal activities that goes on there. Are you saying that when all illegal Nigerians leave your country there will be nomore crimes? no more prostitution?, no more bribery? heck no! all these have been in existance before Nigerians legal or otherwise, arrived and you'll be shocked that it will multiply to higher levels when they leave. It take two to tango you know, if the Nigerians are offering bribes to your Immigration police and they are receiving it, they too are corrupt, why dont they simply arrest who ever is bribing them? if your girls are now prostitutes and you balme Nigerians that is really a very lame excuse, your government has failed to provide you all with decent jobs and the girls are making a living the way they could. Stop blaming your problems on others, even killing others for your problems is the meanest thing a man can do, find a better solution, since SA's are so upright, why dont you try other non-violent means of problem solving.
Hello, You sound educated but I must say your sudden display of irrational points rankled my brain. It is very obvious that you are a proponent of these violent acts carried out by you non-educated and gullible citizens(ZULUS) and instigated the misguided ideologies of individuals like you. 1). You claim Nigerians have turned your country into a drug haven(and still your shambolic police who are meant to do something about it are also involed in facilitating such illegalities). 2). You claim your women have been turned into prostitutes but you seem to turn your face away from the fact that your women and men have an history of low moral standards regarding sex(your HIV prevalence rate grounds that fact, not forgeting the past activities of your new ANC leader)
You need to get your facts right and let you violent,indisciplined , drug indulging, uneducated and indolent men get their hearts right and tow the the right path. I must say it's very obvious that you are heading for destruction. Jide PS: Your govt. is holding the 2010 world cup and you fools seem intolerant to accepting visitors. Every great city in the world is cosmopolitan(have you forgotten) Nelson Mandela needs to take you guys back to class
See all comments (23).
ANY group of people who for whatever reason think they have an entitlement over other people is RACIST, and Evolutionist as well.