South African MP asks Malawians for forgiveness

The president of South Africa’s Africa Christian Democratic Party, Rev Kenneth Meshoe, on Monday asked Malawians to forgive his compatriots who had attacked foreign nationals, particularly Africans, in the latest wave of xenophobic attacks.
Meshoe made the plea when he attended inter-denominational prayers — organised by representatives from Seventh Day Adventist, Livingstonia and Nkhoma synods in Johannesburg — on the xenophobic attacks in some parts of South Africa.

Speaking to hundreds of Malawians who attended the service, Meshoe, a survivor of the apartheid regime, said as a member of South Africa’s Parliament, he was ashamed of what had happened.
“I would like to condemn the barbaric attacks on foreigners in this country. The attacks on foreigners, including the warm-hearted Malawians, are unacceptable,” said Meshoe.
He has asked Malawians to forgive those South Africans who he said had forgotten the country’s history just after 21 years when the same foreigners helped them in the fight against apartheid.
He explained that it is not possible for his country to have a future without Malawians and said the attacks are as a result of bitterness and jealousy that has engulfed the hearts of a few South Africans.
“It is a fact that Malawians are hard-working people and that is why they have been able to contribute to the South African economy and they are able to live a decent life,” he said.
Meshoe pledged to use his position as member of Parliament to speak out against xenophobia at all levels, including his constituency and church.
The South African government has asked religious leaders to pray for peace following the xenophobic attacks.
On Sunday, Minister of Foreign Affairs George Chaponda, who visited some camps where some stranded Malawians are domiciled in South Africa, assured them that the government would repatriate them as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, as Meshoe was delivering the message of attrition to Malawians, South Africa President Jacob Zuma used his Freedom Day speech on Monday to take a firm stance against xenophobic violence, but he fired a broadside at other African governments which are criticising his government over the handling of the attacks.
Zuma said although his country has a problem of xenophobic attacks, other African countries contribute to the situation.
“Why are their citizens not in their countries and are in South Africa?” he asked.