Johannesburg - Andrew Chirwa, the president of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), has placed the blame for the current wave of xenophobic attacks on the African National Congress-led alliance.
Chirwa was speaking during the opening of the Numsa conference for socialism.
The leader of the union, which was expelled from Cosatu last year, was detailing the causes of the challenges within the federation when he touched on how South Africa had reached the current point.
Five people have been killed and dozens others injured in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with the violence spreading to the Johannesburg city centre on Wednesday.
“Comrades, we are here where we are, our people are frustrated today because of the policy choices of the ANC-led alliance. The ANC-led alliance has failed our people and it must take responsibility for what is happening in the country today,” Chirwa said.
He also warned that the belief that the reasons behind the chaos was the presence of fellow Africans was an illusion that was created by capitalism.
“We are not surprised why there’s xenophobia today. Because our people are frustrated, confused. You think we are where we are today because of our fellow foreign nationals who are African, the majority of them,” said Chirwa, who further challenged the approach in resolving the problem.
“The police are not going to solve this problem. It is a political problem that requires a political solution.”
The Numsa conference, which continues until Friday, is set to discuss the political ideology that should be adopted in the formation of a workers party that will likely contest next year’s elections if registered in time.
Labour Bureau