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Xenophobia may tarnish South Africa's image

Saturday, 24 May 2008

By a Staff Reporter A sudden upsurge in violence against foreign refugees in South African townships has left 26 people dead last weekend, hacked, shot and burned to death by rioting mobs. Police have made 250 arrests on charges ranging from rape to robbery and public violence after rampaging mobs ran through the streets in some of the poorest communities in Johannesburg, hunting for foreigners to beat and abuse. Reports from the area indicated that mob anger has been directed against the three million Zimbabwean refugees who have flooded into South Africa to escape massive inflation, food and fuel shortages and political violence at home. They are blamed for stealing jobs and committing crime in their host communities, where despite South Africa's economic success - 40 per cent of the population is worse off than under apartheid. Some 13,000 people have fled a wave of attacks on foreigners in South Africa, which has left at least 26 dead, aid workers say. "This is a classic refugee situation," Rachel Cohen from Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) told the BBC. Many of those who have sought refuge in police stations and elsewhere are Zimbabweans, who have fled violence and poverty at home. Up to three million Zimbabweans are thought to be in South Africa. BBC from Johannesburg reported that the immigrants have become a scapegoat for social problems, such as unemployment, crime and a lack of housing. Over the weekend, correspondents say central Johannesburg resembled a war-zone, as armed police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse mobs of South Africans looking for foreigners and looting foreign-owned shops. "If we go back into the streets, they're going to kill us there," one Zimbabwean man in a police station told the BBC. The front page of several South African newspapers on Monday shows a horrific image of a man being burnt to death. The police say they have made more than 200 arrests for crimes including rape. A church where about 1,000 Zimbabweans have been taking refuge was attacked. Bishop Paul Veryn of the Central Methodist Church which was attacked told SABC radio, "We consider that the situation is getting so serious that the police can no longer control it."  He called for a state of emergency to be declared to halt the violence. MSF spokesman Eric Goemaere said: "This reminds me of a refugee situation. I have treated bullet wounds, beaten people, rape victims, and the people are terrified." The xenophobic attacks began a week ago in the township of Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, before spreading to the city centre and across the Gauteng region. President Thabo Mbeki said he would set up a panel of experts to investigate the violence. The leader of the governing African National Congress (ANC), Jacob Zuma, has also condemned the attacks. South African President Thabo Mbeki condemned a series of xenophobic attacks that have taken place in shanty towns around Johannesburg over the past week, saying such behavior was unacceptable. "You can't allow people to go around beating up other people for whatever reason,'' Mbeki told reporters at the San Lameer golf resort on South Africa's east coast, following a meeting with a panel of business leaders who advise him on economic issues. "We should say it's very, very wrong and unacceptable." "Police need to act very firmly on this one,'' Mbeki said, "We have to look into this matter to see what lies behind it. We are very interested to find out what could have sparked it off, and maybe we could also find out'' if a particular person instigated it. South Africa has as many as three million illegal Zimbabwean immigrants and others from African countries including Ethiopia, Mozambique and Somalia. Some South African shanty town residents oppose the immigrants' presence, seeing them as competitors for jobs and access to housing and other services. Jacob Zuma, who is likely to succeed Mr. Mbeki, next year, condemned the attacks. “We cannot allow South Africa to be famous for xenophobia,” Mr. Zuma told a conference in Pretoria. Jody Kollapen, the chairman of the Human Rights Commission in South Africa, said that the fury on the streets was so strong that it may be time for the army to be sent in to help the over-stretched police to put down the violence. "If we are going to secure cities and townships... we should be asking now whether we need to bring in the military," said Mr Kollapen. "The feelings of hatred that are coming out at this level take us back to the horrible days of apartheid." Many in the ANC government took refuge in neighboring countries during the apartheid era and may feel somewhat embarrassed by the violence against immigrants who came to South Africa from other nations in the region. According to Times, Govindsamy Mariemuthoo, a police spokesman, confirmed this morning that 13 people have been killed since Saturday. The latest victim was found in Alexandra Township, a body riddled with bullets. The worst violence erupted late on Saturday night in Cleveland and other run-down inner city areas that are home to many immigrants. Two of the victims were burned and three others beaten to death. More than 50 were taken to hospitals with gunshot and stab wounds. Local newspapers printed horrific images of a man who was "necklaced" set on fire after a tyre soaked in petrol was put around his neck. It was not reported whether he survived. Emmerson Ziso, a former teacher from Zimbabwe who was chased out of his home by a mob on Sunday, said the situation was very frightening. “It’s spreading like wildfire and the police and the army can’t control it," he said. “Most of the Zimbabweans want to leave. It is better at home than here." Homeless, Mr. Ziso was last night trying to help register about 500 other people who, like him, had sought refuge at the police station in Cleveland. It was a scene repeated in other poor suburbs around the city. Angry residents armed with guns and machetes broke down doors, accusing the foreigners of taking scarce jobs and housing. The Red Cross said that at least 3,000 people have been left destitute. After the bloodshed the situation remained tense along the main street through Cleveland and police had to use tear gas to disperse stick-wielding crowds trying to loot shops. Michael Khondwane, one of the demonstrators in Cleveland, said that he blamed foreigners for South Africa’s drug and crime scourge. He said the violence would send them “the message that they must go”. There has been sporadic anti-foreigner violence for months in Johannesburg, which is South Africa’s economic hub and home to hundreds of thousands of immigrants. Most of the anger has been aimed at stores run by Somalis accused of undercutting local storeowners, but nothing that compares to the violence that has erupted over the last two weekends. Eric Goemaere, the head of Medecins Sans Frontieres in South Africa, said that his staff was helping to treat people with bullet wounds and back injuries from being thrown out of windows. He called on the South African government to declare Zimbabweans as refugees and give them proper protection. “It’s a crisis,” he said. The exodus of Zimbabweans into South Africa has increased during the political violence in the aftermath of Zimbabwe's disputed presidential elections of March 29. The South African government has refused to accept that there is any crisis in Zimbabwe, and has been accused of failing to acknowledge or provide for the huge refugee presence in its poor townships. As many Zimbabweans are comparatively well educated and prepared to work for much lower wages than their South African counterparts, they are accused of stealing jobs. At Jeppestown police station, large tents and water tanks were today being offloaded to help another group of 500 people who sought shelter. Dazed-looking women sat huddled close to piles of blankets and clothes, while men kept watch over fridges, bicycles, TVs and other belongings. Bevinda Komati’s family, including her 11-year-old niece and a one-month-old baby, had to be rescued by police when a mob attacked her brother’s small grocery shop in Johannesburg.  “We had to hide in the back. They were breaking windows and throwing stones. We didn’t know what to do. Luckily, the police came and saved us,” said Mrs Komati, 26, who was born in Mozambique but has lived in South Africa since she was six. Her niece was born in Johannesburg.  “We have lived with these people every day. I don’t know why they are doing this,” she said. The weekend attacks come as the government tries to change South Africa’s violent image ahead of the 2010 World Cup. According to reports, South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world, recording an average of 50 murders each day.

 

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