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Zuma urges more efforts to halt xenophobia

Xinhua, April 23, 2015

• South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday urged all sectors of society, including business, religious and civic organisations, to work towards eradicating xenophobia in the country.

  South Africa's President Jacob Zuma addresses a media briefing after meeting with stakeholders in Pretoria, South Africa, on April 22, 2015. South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday met with stakeholders in Pretoria to discuss the country's migration policy following xenophobia attacks in parts of the country. [Photo/Xinhua]

  Zuma was speaking after meeting with stakeholders in Pretoria on how various sectors can work with the government to promote orderly migration and good relations between citizens and foreign nationals.

  He said, "So the issue we're dealing with today, was what is it that we are all going to do as a country, as citizens, as different sectors, to ensure that it will never happen again."

  Zuma said the meeting dealt with South Africa's immigration legislation and how the country integrates refugees.

  He added, "We have immigration laws that are unique in a sense because the way we handle refugees and is not by creating camps but by integrating them into society."

  He said that the government had in the past ruled out the possibility of setting up refugee camps.

  But following the latest spate of violence, the government has set up camps in Durban and Johannesburg to house thousands of displaced refugees. "The challenge of migration requires a long-term solution. In this regard, I have established an inter-ministerial committee to work systematically, looking at all aspects of migration," Zuma added.

  At the meeting, representatives from religious and civic organisations as well as business and labour have all committed to helping the government halt the violence.

  The discussions came on the heels of recent inflammatory comments made by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini and Zuma's son, Edward, which allegedly sparked the attacks on foreigners. Both men allegedly said foreigners should leave the country.

  The meeting also was intended to foster good relations between SA citizens and foreign nationals, the Presidency said.

  "The meeting is part of building lasting partnerships with stakeholders in the country to ensure that the shameful attacks on foreign nationals do not recur in the country. Foreign nationals have for years been successfully integrated into many communities in the country and government thus seeks to gain lessons from these successes," presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said.

  Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Sunday that his ministry would introduce a Green Paper on the new policy framework by next year. Gigaba said the government needed to review the immigration policy framework. In addition to Gigaba, the meeting was attended by State Security Minister David Mahlobo, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe and Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and several business and religious leaders.

  Meanwhile, South Africa Police Service (SAPS) swooped on at a hostel in Jeppestown, Johannesburg on Wednesday and arrested 11 men for suspected involvement in acts of violence.

  According to the national police spokesperson Solomon Makgale, police also recovered stolen goods and undisclosed quantity of dagga in the raid.

  The men are expected to appear in the Jeppestown Magistrate's Court on Thursday on charges of possession of dagga and stolen property.

  South Africa Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Tuesday she would deploy army troops to assist police in dealing with sporadic xenophobic attacks that engulfed the cities of Durban and Johannesburg recently.

  At least seven people have been killed and thousands of foreigners displaced in the xenophobic violence that first erupted in Durban in late March.

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