More groups have spoken against immigrant attacks (xenophobia) in South Africa, urging authorities in that country to take up the moral responsibility to stop the attacks that have claimed lives, injuring hundreds and displacing thousands.
In a statement made available to The Nation, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has condemned the resurgence of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.
CCJP, the social justice and advocacy arm of the Catholic Church, says while the attacks may satisfy some claims about the sources of South Africans’ suffering, the attacks are not and shall never be a solution to that country’s economic malaise.
In the statement, CCJP said an honest reflection and discussion at national and international levels is needed to arrive at a best solution to the wretchedness of some South Africans.
“The economic inequality must not be seen from the lenses of foreign nationals as there are more internal factors and more perennial reasons than what is currently being popularised,” reads the statement signed by CCJP national secretary Chris Chisoni.
To South Africans, CCJP said experiencing poverty in the midst of plenty is a painful reality; hence, their government has the obligation to create conditions that enable its citizens to live in dignity as killing innocent foreign nationals is not a solution.
On its part, Malawi Law Society (MLS) has also condemned in the “strongest terms possible” the xenophobic attacks against Malawians and other African nationals in the Rainbow Nation.
MLS has since protested these attacks to the South African government through its Embassy in Malawi and has demanded that those involved be held accountable, according to a statement released on Friday.
Meanwhile, Brand South Africa, a South African platform that develops and implements proactive marketing and communication strategy for South Africa, and to promote South Africa, has joined in condemning the xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals.
Brand South Africa, in a statement released on Friday, assured all its partners in the contient that South Africa stands firmly against all intolerances such as racism, xenophobia, homophobia and sexism and as such security forces are hard at work around the clock to protect vulnerable communities in the country.
At the moment, the confirmed number of affected Malawians in the xenophobic attacks has reached 1 030 with most of them being women and children.
However, the first group of affected Malawians to be repatriated failed to arrive yesterday as earlier scheduled.
Minister of Information, Stourism and Culture Kondwani Nankhumwa yesterday said the group of about 390 is expected in this morning.
Nankhumwa also confirmed the death of one Malawian, first reported by The Nation.
