A national disgrace
20 May 2008, 07:43
By Staff Reporters and Sapa
As concern mounted over the xenophobic attacks in Gauteng that have left at least 22 people dead and up to 10 000 people seeking refuge in shelters, President Thabo Mbeki vowed that everything possible would be done to bring perpetrators to book.
"I call upon those behind these shameful and criminal acts to stop! Nothing can justify it.
"The law enforcement agencies must and will respond with the requisite measures against anyone found to be involved in these attacks," Mbeki said.
The 2010 Local Organising Committee said the violence would not deter people from coming to the World Cup as they understood the context in which the attacks were happening.
Chief executive Danny Jordaan said: "Most people understand that the attacks arise from the conduct of disgruntled people.
"Many people around the world condemn this behaviour."
Jordaan said that it was evident to the international community that the attacks were not nationally condoned.
"South African leaders have condemned the attacks and the whole world will see that South Africa does not endorse this behaviour."
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has refused to comment on the impact the attacks would have on the World Cup.
Nobel peace laureate and struggle icon Desmond Tutu also added his voice in condemning the attacks.
"Please stop. Please stop the violence now. This is not how we behave. These are our sisters and brothers. Please, please stop," Tutu said.
The ANC's national working committee last night called on all party structures to "talk directly to communities to ensure that the rights of all persons living in our country are upheld".
The Western Cape branch of the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans' Association said: "For the hatred to boil over in May - the month we celebrate Africa Day - is an embarrassment for all South Africans."
The former freedom fighters said they would educate locals on how the people of neighbouring countries gave them sanctuary when they were forced to flee during apartheid.
"Our presence on the ground caused problems for the governments that sheltered us, attracting unwelcome attention from the apartheid state, but never were we made to feel unwelcome."
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said two miners from neighbouring countries had been killed in the violence and three injured.
It joined the call for military intervention.
"Many NUM members come from neighbouring countries such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Swaziland and others.
"We therefore can't allow the situation to be polarised further," said NUM deputy general secretary Oupa Komane.
Opposition parties lambasted the government for its handling of the violence. They, too, called for the army to be deployed.
DA chief whip Ian Davidson said Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula needed to "pull her head out of the sand" and acknowledge the causes and the extent of the violence in Gauteng.
"The DA is deeply concerned about the extent of the humanitarian crisis developing across Gauteng as a result of violent attacks on foreign nationals."
The time had come for "targeted intervention" by the government to halt the violence and establish refugee camps for those displaced by it.
"The government's attempts to formulate an adequate response and workable solutions to this stalemate hinge upon a full acknowledgement by the minister that this is an emergency, rather than the workings of a so-called 'third force' or a rag-tag of unspecified 'criminal elements'."
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said the government had not responded adequately.
Mbeki had announced a committee to analyse the causes for this outbreak of barbarity - but this, said Holomisa, would do little good.
"Analysis is not good enough. The government is analysing the causes, but its immediate task is to ensure the safety of all who reside in our country, whether local or so-called 'foreign'," Holomisa said.
Analysing the causes of the violence was a good idea for the medium to long term, but for now "the priority is to stop the bullets, the violence, the looting, the rapes and the setting of people on fire", Holomisa said.
Two immediate steps were required to restore order, he said.
First, Mbeki needed to deliver a nationally broadcast condemnation of the attacks.
"Whether this is xenophobia, criminal hooliganism, ethnic hatred or tribalism, what is required is for the chosen government of the people to address the nation to say that this behaviour is totally unacceptable."
Second, the army needed to be called in to assist the police.
The army had transport and personnel resources at its disposal and would be able to bolster police efforts to restore order.
It would also ensure that other normal police duties were not neglected.
"This madness must be stopped within 48 hours. It can be stopped in 48 hours."
As concern mounted over the xenophobic attacks in Gauteng that have left at least 22 people dead and up to 10 000 people seeking refuge in shelters, President Thabo Mbeki vowed that everything possible would be done to bring perpetrators to book.
"I call upon those behind these shameful and criminal acts to stop! Nothing can justify it.
"The law enforcement agencies must and will respond with the requisite measures against anyone found to be involved in these attacks," Mbeki said.
The 2010 Local Organising Committee said the violence would not deter people from coming to the World Cup as they understood the context in which the attacks were happening.
Chief executive Danny Jordaan said: "Most people understand that the attacks arise from the conduct of disgruntled people.
"Many people around the world condemn this behaviour."
Jordaan said that it was evident to the international community that the attacks were not nationally condoned.
"South African leaders have condemned the attacks and the whole world will see that South Africa does not endorse this behaviour."
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has refused to comment on the impact the attacks would have on the World Cup.
Nobel peace laureate and struggle icon Desmond Tutu also added his voice in condemning the attacks.
"Please stop. Please stop the violence now. This is not how we behave. These are our sisters and brothers. Please, please stop," Tutu said.
The ANC's national working committee last night called on all party structures to "talk directly to communities to ensure that the rights of all persons living in our country are upheld".
The Western Cape branch of the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans' Association said: "For the hatred to boil over in May - the month we celebrate Africa Day - is an embarrassment for all South Africans."
The former freedom fighters said they would educate locals on how the people of neighbouring countries gave them sanctuary when they were forced to flee during apartheid.
"Our presence on the ground caused problems for the governments that sheltered us, attracting unwelcome attention from the apartheid state, but never were we made to feel unwelcome."
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said two miners from neighbouring countries had been killed in the violence and three injured.
It joined the call for military intervention.
"Many NUM members come from neighbouring countries such as Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Swaziland and others.
"We therefore can't allow the situation to be polarised further," said NUM deputy general secretary Oupa Komane.
Opposition parties lambasted the government for its handling of the violence. They, too, called for the army to be deployed.
DA chief whip Ian Davidson said Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula needed to "pull her head out of the sand" and acknowledge the causes and the extent of the violence in Gauteng.
"The DA is deeply concerned about the extent of the humanitarian crisis developing across Gauteng as a result of violent attacks on foreign nationals."
The time had come for "targeted intervention" by the government to halt the violence and establish refugee camps for those displaced by it.
"The government's attempts to formulate an adequate response and workable solutions to this stalemate hinge upon a full acknowledgement by the minister that this is an emergency, rather than the workings of a so-called 'third force' or a rag-tag of unspecified 'criminal elements'."
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa said the government had not responded adequately.
Mbeki had announced a committee to analyse the causes for this outbreak of barbarity - but this, said Holomisa, would do little good.
"Analysis is not good enough. The government is analysing the causes, but its immediate task is to ensure the safety of all who reside in our country, whether local or so-called 'foreign'," Holomisa said.
Analysing the causes of the violence was a good idea for the medium to long term, but for now "the priority is to stop the bullets, the violence, the looting, the rapes and the setting of people on fire", Holomisa said.
Two immediate steps were required to restore order, he said.
First, Mbeki needed to deliver a nationally broadcast condemnation of the attacks.
"Whether this is xenophobia, criminal hooliganism, ethnic hatred or tribalism, what is required is for the chosen government of the people to address the nation to say that this behaviour is totally unacceptable."
Second, the army needed to be called in to assist the police.
The army had transport and personnel resources at its disposal and would be able to bolster police efforts to restore order.
It would also ensure that other normal police duties were not neglected.
"This madness must be stopped within 48 hours. It can be stopped in 48 hours."
- This article was originally published on page 1 of The Pretoria News on May 20, 2008
Cape Town
