Xenophobia: S/African police fire rubber bullets at protesters

On Monday, Nigeria’s presidency called on the SA government to step in to stop what it called “xenophobic attacks”, following recent reports of violence against Nigerians and other nationals in Pretoria.

Anti-immigrant violence has flared sporadically in South Africa against a background of near-record unemployment, with foreigners being accused of taking jobs from citizens and involvement in crime.

A spokesman for South African mobile phone firm MTN said that protesters in the Nigerian capital of Abuja had “vandalized equipment, stole customer phones and iPads” and attacked MTN customers at the firm’s customer care center, Reuters reported.

“How can we say that we are the giant of Africa when in other African countries, our citizens are being killed?” he said.

“Residents in some communities blame non-nationals for the escalating crimes especially drug trafficking”, the presidency said in a statement.

South Africa, where 35% of people are unemployed or have given up searching for work, has experienced successive surges of xenophobic violence, oftentargetingSomali and Pakistani people who operate small shops in townships and shanty towns.

Rubber bullets, water cannons and stun grenades were employed by law enforcement during the planned march in Pretoria, which seemingly centered on xenophobia.

Journalist Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo, a supporter of the boycott, told IBTimes UK she is refusing to use services provided by South African companies.

“The security cluster has been instructed to ensure that these matters are resolved to the satisfaction of South Africans and foreign nationals in the communities bringing about better policing between communities and authorities“.

“The callers asked for money to be spared the attacks”.

Alhaji Muntaka asked why diplomacy should be continued to be used in addressing the maltreatment of foreign nationals while they continued to be killed and suffer in South Africa.

Speaking after the launch of Operation Phakisa, which is aimed at boosting various sectors of the South African economy, he said the march included foreign nationals, was well organised and was not xenophobic.

Whether South African or foreign, criminals should be properly dealt with, Zuma said.

They also told the High Commission officials to cancel the dinner organised in honour of Regina Tambo, the co-founder of the ANC Youth League.

“South Africa has been very keen to show determination to remind their people as a way of dousing the sensing of xenophobia”, he said.

“The world is eagerly waiting to see what happens next”, he said.

Aaron-Mnguni said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South African will hold a briefing with the diplomatic community in his country on Friday to fashion out more ways to solve the problem.