Most South Africans not xenophobic: Zuma

President Jacob Zuma briefing media after engaging with stakeholders to discuss the migration policy and promote united action to deal with the challenges at Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House, Pretoria. South Africa. 22/04/2015. Siyabulela Duda

President Jacob Zuma briefing media after engaging with stakeholders to discuss the migration policy and promote united action to deal with the challenges at Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House, Pretoria. South Africa. 22/04/2015. Siyabulela Duda

Published Apr 22, 2015

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Pretoria - The majority of South Africa’s citizens are not xenophobic, President Jacob Zuma said on Wednesday.

Addressing journalists at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria, Zuma said a wrong impression had been created about the country.

“We stayed with these brothers and sisters for years and we have done so for decades and decades. In fact, there is no one who has called others to say ‘let us attack foreigners,” said Zuma.

“No one can say South Africans attack foreigners only. We have a history that these things happen even among ourselves. There was political violence here which nobody has forgotten about. We couldn’t say it was xenophobic.”

Zuma said rampant criminality in South Africa has been wrongly attached to the ongoing xenophobic attacks.

“I don’t think we should use the simple word because it is easy to use excessively. It gives a wrong impression that South Africans are xenophobic. We are not,” said Zuma.

“There are a minority who are and we deal with that. The incident in Alexandra, which was purely criminal, but because it happened at the time of xenophobic attacks, it is now said that is how we kill people in South Africa.”

Mozambican immigrant Emmanuel Sithole was bludgeoned and fatally stabbed in Alexandra, Johannesburg on Saturday.

Four men have since been arrested for the murder after their pictures were splashed in the media showing them attacking the 35-year-old vendor with knives, a pipe wrench and a spade.

On Wednesday, Zuma held a meeting representatives of religious organisations, business, and labour unions to discuss South Africa’s immigration policy.

Zuma said the different sectors formed a task team to counter the anti-foreigner violence which has rocked South Africa in recent weeks.

“We are confident that today as we met with the sectors we have taken one important decision that all the discussions should not end there. We have agreed to establish a small task team that is going to put together all the contributions, proposals and suggestions,” said Zuma.

“It will work out a programme that will be implemented by all of us collectively and by the sectors. Business, for example has a very elaborate programme that they articulated.”

The meeting was also attended by several top government officials including Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, State Security Minister David Mahlobo, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe and Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.

Zuma said numerous foreign nationals were playing a critical role in the development of the South African economy.

In a statement, the Presidency said the consultative meeting would discuss South Africa’s migration policy and “how various sectors can work with government to promote orderly migration”.

Several stakeholders at the summit concurred with Zuma.

Khanyisile Kweyama, chief executive of Business Unity South Africa, said the country’s image had been dented by the xenophobic attacks.

“We have recognised that business plays a very critical part in ensuring that our country is stable. When such actions are taking place, there is a dent on the economy of the country as well as investor confidence,” she said.

“We are therefore going to be coordinating input from various businesses who are based in Africa predominantly, but also globally, who want to understand what is happening.”

The summit was also seeking ways of fostering good relations between South African citizens and foreign nationals.

Later this week, Zuma is scheduled to meet leaders of organisations representing immigrants from the African continent. Representatives of immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh are also scheduled to attend. That meeting has been rescheduled to Friday.

The presidency said Friday’s summit would seek to ensure “that the shameful attacks on foreign nationals do not recur”.

Government deployed troops on Tuesday, this after seven people had been killed in xenophobic attacks, targeting mainly African migrants.

ANA

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