Bongani Hans
DURBAN: King Goodwill Zwelithini has declared war against xenophobic attacks and called for another imbizo to take place soon, where locals and foreign nationals would sign a peace accord.
Speaking at the imbizo at the Moses Mabhida Stadium yesterday, the king said he had assigned Premier Senzo Mchunu to arrange a meeting between himself, traditional leaders and diplomats from various African countries to draft terms of reference for the peace accord.
“In three months there will be another imbizo where locals and foreigners will meet to sign this peace accord,” he said.
Yesterday’s gathering was attended by thousands, including hostel dwellers, government officials and diplomats from African countries, including Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
Contrary to the expectations of most members of the Zulu regiments present, who anticipated that the king would call for the deportation of foreigners, he said to applause:
“The war, which I am going to declare today, is not the one you are expecting. It is to protect all foreigners. Izinduna and amakhosi(all traditional leaders), I instruct you to be my ears on the ground and protect people
.”
Without taking responsibility for his speech in Pongola last month in which he called for the deportation of foreigners, the king challenged the SA Human Rights Commission to finalise the investigation against him, and also investigate the media’s role in “inciting” violence against foreigners.
Defending himself, the king said in Pongola he had called for police to enforce control at the country’s borders, but said the media chose to ignore this. “I
believe that the media should submit itself for investigation if it has nothing to hide.”
In his Pongola speech, he called for the deportation of foreign nationals after accusing them of changing the culture of the country and taking over economic opportunities from locals. This speech has been widely condemned and linked to the violence which started in Durban two weeks ago.
Most foreigners are now living in refugee camps, while others have since been bused out of the country. There have been seven murders in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng as a result of the attacks.
The king said he was concerned about information that there was also an attempt to create a rift between Zulus and the Indian community.
By calling an imbizo, he did not mean that the Zulus were perpetrators of the violence. He said since the Zulus were “the biggest nation in the country”, they could help to defuse the violence.
“I am happy that the government is concurring when I say there is a third force behind this violence.”
He said there was a conspiracy to force African people to fight among themselves.
“This conspiracy reminds us of the 1990s when it was alleged that Zulus were killing people in trains, but it was later revealed that there was a third force to create conflict between black political parties (ANC and IFP). During that violence I lost 20 000 people,” he said.
IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the king’s traditional minister, said criminals had used the king as an excuse when committing criminal acts. The king’s speech had been misquoted.
South Africa was living with a culture of xenophobia and “it takes little to spark violence”. “This is shameful, but it is a truth we must acknowledge if we are to arrest the violence.”
Buthelezi called on traditional leaders to lead in the fight against xenophobia.
“It is our responsibility to put out the fire,” he said.