via Mugabe silence on xenophobia raises anger – NewsDay Zimbabwe April 16, 2015
Anxiety and anger gripped the country yesterday as xenophobic attacks targeting foreigners in South Africa spread from Durban to Johannesburg, home to a large percentage of the over three million Zimbabweans living in the neighbouring country.
Local opposition politicians and social commentators slammed the Zanu PF government for taking long to react to the attacks.
Ousted former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and United States-based Zimbabwean Chimurenga musician Thomas Mapfumo yesterday criticised the government for taking too long to react to the attacks and repatriate its citizens. This came as a handful of Zanu PF and MDC-T Members of Parliament marched to the South African embassy in Harare where they presented a petition pleading with the Pretoria government to stop the attacks which have reportedly left about 10 foreigners dead.
“I had a heartbreak after watching how my people are suffering in South Africa,” Mujuru said yesterday.
Mapfumo also weighed in saying: “What is worrying is the deafening silence by the Sadc and African Union in acting against xenophobia in South Africa. Xenophobia must be condemned and it must stop!”
President Robert Mugabe, who is both Sadc and AU chairperson, has remained mum since the attacks worsened this week although Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi yesterday said government had despatched a team of police officers to South Africa to protect stranded Zimbabweans.
“We are working out modalities to help our nationals who are in South Africa, we are monitoring developments there with keen interest and we have dispatched a team there to assist so that we protect our nationals,” Mohadi said.
“We are worried about the welfare of our citizens and we will not watch helplessly our nationals being subjected to such treatment. We have engaged our counterparts and are also trying by all means possible to help them (those in South Africa).”
The attacks increased over the past two weeks as South Africans accused foreigners of engaging in criminal activities and taking away their jobs. Reports yesterday indicated that the wave that was initially concentrated in Durban had moved into central Johannesburg with some Zimbabweans being reported to be hiding in basements of various buildings.
Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini and President Jacob Zuma’s son Edward recently fuelled the attacks on foreigners when they demanded that they should go back to their countries accusing them of peddling drugs.
This is not the first time that foreigners in South Africa have been targeted. In 2008 similar attacks left over 62 foreigners dead.
But former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo yesterday said Mugabe was reluctant to repatriate the affected Zimbabweans back home for fear that they would demonstrate against his government’s failure to provide them with jobs.
“Mugabe thinks that most Zimbabweans in South Africa are MDC-T and would rise against him if they come back,” Gumbo said.
Gumbo, who was fired from Zanu PF for allegedly conniving with Mujuru in a plot to unseat Mugabe, said as Sadc and AU chairperson, Mugabe, should have taken a leading
COMMENTS
Lets close our borders with South Africa. For after all we are a sovereign state . All look east for our salvation.Then we would have two wrongs makes a !!!!
I am totally disgusted by this xenophobia in SA. How can u expect Mugabe to do anything about this???? He has fullfilled his own cruel xenophobia against his own people as in Gukurahundi (20,000) and white farmers who knows how many. If there needs to be fair distribution of land let it be done orderly and peaceful, no need to kill and club farmers or kill innocent defenseless civillians. In short Zanu is right now exercising Zanuphobia for any activist who dares talk against them.
The world is tough for a black person. His home is unfriendly, and his hosts are too. Whitedom gloats askance. His compatriots laugh at him when he tries to wiggle abroad through life, much as his hosts dribble violently at his possessions. Jealousy and ill will all round. A cursed race.
Mind you, no human race is cursed or special. We are all the same before Jehova despite colour, gender, religion or any attribute you may think of. It’s in the minds of those who think there is another race which is cursed. There is great need for a complete overhaul of such type of thinking at this age in time. Let’s unite as one world, one global village which does not see another race as cursed. Let’s bury such mentality, it’s evil. Love all your brothers, sisters and neighbours.
Thank you Kindly
Mugabe is a racist and if the statement he made in SA does not get the condemnation it deserves from us all, its unfair for us to say South Africans are xenophobic. Mugabe said and I quote” I do not want to see a white face”. Who is he to descriminate against God’s people’s colour in the world with deversy colours. When Mugabe said that Mandela was too soft to whites in SA, what did he mean. Wrong doe has nothing to do with colours or nationalities. The world must condemn Mugabe’s utterances in as much as Edward Zuma and Goodwill Zwelithini. Uttarances like that stire anger and unfavourable consequences to others. Apartheid was wrong then and is still wrong. There is no place its allowed to flurish so is the statement of saying I do not want to see a white fac
I DON’T WANT TO SEE A WHITE FACE ?
very True . Watch how the geriatric will shout and scream when the world condemns him
How can anyone expect Mugabe to denounce the xenophobic attacks? The people attacking are in the same ilk as Mugabe himself and therefore they would have his tacit approval.
The guy is not a statesman at all and so it’s expecting the impossible to expect him to condemn the attacks. The attackers are made in his image. Forget about him being AU and SADC chairman, that is meant for accruing air miles and nothing else.
Mugabe simply cares about himself, his family, power & next election. So, nothing out of the ordinary about his careless attitude towards fellow Zimbabweans, or any other beings for that matter. That’s his nature – as heartless as a stone. Moyo wake idombo mudhara uyu – hapana chitsva akangogara akadero. Saka hapana chokutaura nezvake uyo; kutotambisa nguva.
Why would he care about just a few hundreds thousands or 1 million of Zimbos under attack in SA when everyday he tramples over 20 million suffering Zimbos in his own backyard. By any standards, any condemnation of the barbaric xenophobic acts from Mugabe would simply be emanating from the wrong mouth & utterly hypocritical. So, better for him to shut up & maintain his stony silence.
Mugabe is too old to even know what the hell is going on!! He thinks he is somewhere in the far east. People around him do not tell him news. In any case the xenophobia started as soon as he left South Africa so he knows the objective. He f***ng does not care.
Thee world watched
What hope is there for Africans? Absolutely nothing. Then people wonder why so many people are dying trying to leave Africa. All I can suggest is try to get out of Africa as soon as you can, leave it to the dictatorships and they cohorts, it won’t change in my lifetime. That’s why millions have left the motherland.
These South Africans who were helped by all nations, African and Global and all colours to bring down Aparthied are now imposing it on other Africans who are just trying to make a living, those who left they own countries because there was no hope of a better life.
These same South Africans who put no pressure on Mugabe after he lost the elections, but except him with open arms shall reap what the sew. Wait until the ANC turn into Zanu-PF then we will see.
I bet everyone who contributed to the fall of Aparthied are asking themselves now why did they help such horrible selfish people, because that’s what they are.