South Africa slammed over xenophobic violence
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – The fallout from the latest wave of xenophobic violence continues to be felt with Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama summoning South Africa’s High Commissioner Bobby Moroe to discuss the crisis.
As previously reported by PANA, the violence broke out in suburbs south of Johannesburg on Sunday and numerous foreign-owned shops and premises were looted. Vehicles and properties were also torched. At least five people have been killed and hundreds displaced.
The Nigerian government has warned Pretoria that it will not tolerate any attacks on its citizens while the South Africa-Nigeria Business Chamber said “the hostilities have implications beyond South Africa’s borders and put an enormous strain on South Africa’s relations with other African nations”.
Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage on Wednesday withdrew from the upcoming DSTV Delicious Festival as a result of the crisis. The festival is due to take place in Midrand on 21 September.
"I refuse to watch the barbaric butchering of my people in SA. This is SICK. My prayers are with all the victims and families affected by this," she tweeted.
DStv is a Sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice, a South African company.
The Zambian government has urged its nationals to avoid travelling to South Africa after a Zambian was stabbed.
Zambian truckers already in the country have been advised to park their vehicles at safe and designated places. And the Football Association of Zambian (FAZ) has called off the international friendly between its national team and South Africa in Lusaka on Saturday in response to the crisis. The South African Football Association on Wednesday announced that Madagascar has agreed to play the match in South Africa.
The South African police on Tuesday confirmed that two people have been killed in running street battles in Hillbrow, a high density suburb outside the Johannesburg Central Business District.
Ghana, Zambia and Ethiopia are among countries that have also advised their citizens to avoid hot spots and urged the South African government to protect foreigners living in the country.
The diplomatic row raises tensions as dignitaries from across the continent gather in Cape Town for a World Economic Forum event beginning Wednesday.
-0- PANA CU/MA 4Sept2019
