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Apexchange

South Africa in crisis after attacks kill six immigrants

In the latest violence, mobs attacked shops owned by foreign nationals in a poor area of Johannesburg.

SOUTH AFRICA’S PRESIDENT cancelled a foreign trip in order to deal with a wave of attacks on immigrants that have killed at least six people.

In the latest violence, mobs attacked shops owned by foreign nationals in a poor area of Johannesburg.

President Jacob Zuma had been scheduled to leave Saturday evening for Indonesia to attend a meeting of African and Asian leaders, but will instead stay to campaign for a peaceful resolution to the unrest that has swept several areas of South Africa in the past week, his office said.

Zuma planned to visit immigrants staying in a camp in the Chatsworth area of the coastal city of Durban, where some of the worst violence has occurred.

South Africa Immigrant Attacks Apexchange Apexchange

“These attacks go against everything we believe in. The majority of South Africans love peace and good relations with their brothers and sisters in the continent,” Zuma said in a statement.

There was a heavy police presence in the Alexandra township of Johannesburg after rioters looted some shops, burned tires and built street barricades overnight, according to eNCA, a South African news outlet. Police fired rubber bullets in an attempt to stop the unrest, the report said.

Several shops and cars owned by immigrants were torched in downtown Johannesburg in recent days.

South Africa Immigrant Attacks Apexchange Apexchange

Attacks on immigrants, many of them from other African countries, in and around Durban have subsided after the deaths of six people there, police said. Some 112 people were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal province, which includes Durban, during the riots there, according to authorities.

Some South Africans have accused immigrants of taking jobs and opportunities away from them in a country with high unemployment. The government has said it is addressing complaints about undocumented migrants, while noting that many foreign nationals are living legally in South Africa and contributing to economic development.

South Africa Immigrant Attacks Apexchange Apexchange

About 60 people died in similar unrest in South Africa in 2008. In January this year, four people died during a week of looting of foreign-owned shops and other violence in Soweto and other areas of Johannesburg.

The violence this month has prompted some African countries to make arrangements for the return of some of their citizens from South Africa.

Many immigrants are from neighboring Zimbabwe. Its president, Robert Mugabe, said Saturday that he was glad that the South African government had denounced the violence. Mugabe is currently chairman of the African Union as well as a regional group, the Southern African Development Community.

“If there is any issue arising from the influx of Africans into any country, surely that can be discussed and measures can be taken and taken amicably to deal and address the situation,” Mugabe said in remarks on the 35th anniversary of Zimbabwe’s independence.

Read: Zuma: I’m not racist, white people won’t be chased out of South Africa

Read: This TV reporter was robbed on camera by the most brazen muggers ever

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20 Comments
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    Mute Jon Snow
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    Apr 19th 2015, 8:14 AM

    What? But only white people are capable of racism and xenophobia? Well at least according to the lib media..

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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    Apr 19th 2015, 8:32 AM

    You know nothing Jon Snow…

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    Mute little jim
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    Apr 19th 2015, 11:33 AM

    You don’t know Jon Snow.

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    Mute james comiskey
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    Apr 19th 2015, 8:12 AM

    It would seem that they have let the great opportunity they created for themselves in the early 90s slip through their hands .

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    Mute Scipio
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    Apr 19th 2015, 9:06 AM

    It seems Europeans aren’t the only ones who aren’t overly enthusiastic on multiculturalism and mass immigration.

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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Apr 19th 2015, 9:36 AM

    It seems governments are, but people aren’t.

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    Mute Francie Coffey
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    Apr 19th 2015, 8:43 AM

    I thought they only hated white people.
    “I don’t want to see a white face.” – Robert Mugabe, on leaving Hector Pietersen Memorial in Soweto, – when he spotted a white female reporter.

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    Mute Francie Coffey
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    Apr 19th 2015, 8:44 AM
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    Mute Buckwheat MacMillan
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    Apr 19th 2015, 10:31 AM

    That fcuker needs to go away and die

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    Mute Niall
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    Apr 19th 2015, 12:13 PM

    Nasty, corrupt and a massive racist of a man.

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    Mute cosmological
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    Apr 19th 2015, 8:18 AM

    Mandela’s legacy is tarnished once more.

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    Mute CitizenSmith©
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    Apr 19th 2015, 8:09 AM

    It was better before

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    Mute KalEll
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    Apr 19th 2015, 9:17 AM

    Before when a minority of the population used laws and violence to subjugate the majority of the population?

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    Mute KalEll
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    Apr 19th 2015, 10:11 AM

    Great to see so many wishing for the return of apartheid.

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    Mute phuketirish
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    Apr 19th 2015, 10:23 AM

    I worked there in the late 90′s and was surprised to hear from several African guys that it was better before, they said it was much safer and less crime…they also said they voted for Mandela as they were told they would all get a house, car and washing machine once ANC was in power. Fantastic country if not for the crime.

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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Apr 19th 2015, 8:28 AM

    Ffs Robert Mugabe piping up .

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    Mute Margaret Nolan
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    Apr 19th 2015, 12:48 PM

    No mention of the inflammatory comments which preceded these riots, uttered by the Zulu King, who ironically goes by the name Goodwill! Which were then reiterated by Zuma’s son! The recorded speech by the Zulu king tells foreigners to pack their bags and go home! Nothing being done by the figurehead and actual leaders to quash the violence but rather they are inciting the hate. It’s not xenophobia but afrophobia!

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    Mute Peter Ivers
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    Apr 19th 2015, 9:34 PM

    Great to see the world is reporting on this. Now if only they would report on the huge numbers of farm murders where whole families including babies are killed.

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