Johannesburg -
The South African government has been at pains to allay fears about xenophobia before a World Economic Forum (WEF) indaba at which it hopes to present itself as an attractive investment destination.
Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe told reporters in Joburg yesterday that the government had a number of strategies in place to deal with xenophobia.
“Our president and the entirety of the government in no uncertain terms have condemned the violence against foreign nations… we are on top of this matter,” he said.
The 25th WEF summit on Africa opens in Cape Town on Wednesday and ends on Friday.
While South Africa has the most diversified economy on the continent, it will have to put its best foot forward if it wants to attract new investment. Seven of the world’s fastest-growing economies are in Africa, and competition for investment is fierce.
Lynette Chen, chief executive of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Business Foundation, has warned that xenophobic attacks will not only have an immense negative effect on South Africa’s economy but will also stifle the efforts of companies who want to expand into the rest of the continent.
Radebe assured reporters that the country was dealing with the matter.
He said police had made a number of arrests and the government hoped the “independent judiciary would bring justice”.
The minister said there had been much success in rooting out criminals through the government’s Operation Fiela.
The operation by law enforcement agencies has been described by critics as legitimising xenophobia by targeting foreigners, instilling fear.
The government has denied this, saying the operation is aimed at criminals.
More than 12 000 people have been nabbed for crimes since its launch.
Radebe said an interministerial task team was looking at all aspects of migration to come up with solutions.
Migration, with its challenges, is a worldwide phenomenon. A session is to be dedicated to it at the summit.
“I’m sure we will learn a lot of lessons from experiences around the world… we are going to be applying measures… to inform our migration policies,” Radebe said.
Saturday Star