Mbabane - Swazis working in South Africa are reacting with fear, confusion and a sense of betrayal at the prospect of becoming victims of ongoing anti-foreigner violence in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
“The Zulus are our cousins. How can King (Goodwill) Zwelithini do this to us? He is married to (Swazi king) Sobhuza’s daughter,” asked Durban worker Goodness Mazibuko of Zwelithini’s remarks that all foreigners should return to their countries of origin.
The king has since claimed he was misquoted.
In Mbabane on Thursday, police broke up a march by the Swaziland Anti-Xenophobia Society. The group was formed earlier this month to monitor the safety of Swazis working in South Africa, and to ensure safe passage of Swazis at medical and educational facilities in the country. The lively march, characterised by singing and chanting, was en route to the South African High Commissioner’s office when police blocked and dispersed the marchers. Political demonstrations are banned in Swaziland.
Swazi political commentators contend that South Africa’s government is unwilling to press King Mswati to democratise his kingdom because of ties by marriage between Swaziland’s ruling Dlamini clan and the Mandela, Zuma and Zwelithini families.
But ordinary Swazis working in South Africa do not expect such connections among the nations’ ruling elites to save them from xenophobic attacks. They note that Edward Zuma, President Jacob Zuma’s son, echoed Zwelithini’s advocacy for the deportation of foreign workers.
“King Mswati told us to come to South Africa to find jobs. He cannot leave us unprotected,” said Mazibuko, who returned home to Manzini this weekend, but feared going back to Durban.
The Times of Swaziland reported that some Swazis avoided speaking Swati, which is one of South Africa’s 11 official languages, for fear of being identified as a foreigner. The newspaper noted that many were planning to return home from South Africa, despite Swaziland’s 40 percent unemployment rate and moribund economy.
“We are not at all at ease with the situation and we fear for our lives,” said Majahonkhe Khumalo, a Swazi truck driver in Durban.
Independent Foreign Service