1000s march against xenophobia
2008-05-24 15:39
Marius Bosch
Johannesburg - Thousands of people marched
through South Africa's biggest city on Saturday, calling for an
end to xenophobic violence that has killed over 40 African
migrants and displaced tens of thousands.
Thousands of people, carrying placards saying "Xenophobia
hurts like apartheid", and "We stand against xenophobia" brought
traffic to a standstill in Johannesburg's business district.
People in the Hillbrow flatland district, home to many
African immigrants, cheered the march, organised by church
organisations and labour unions.
Police said townships around Johannesburg were quiet but
shops were looted and burnt outside Cape Town late on Friday.
The South African government has been criticised for its
slow reaction to the violence, the worst since apartheid ended
14 years ago, and for not adequately addressing poverty widely
blamed for the bloodshed.
The conflict started in Johannesburg's Alexandra township on
May 11, and has spread to Cape Town and the eastern port city of
Durban.
Mob attacks
At least 42 people have been killed and more than 25 000
driven from their homes in 13 days of attacks by mobs who have
stabbed, clubbed and burnt migrants from other parts of Africa
they accuse of taking jobs and fuelling crime.
Police said townships around Johannesburg were quiet on
Saturday and in South Africa's premier tourism destination of
Cape Town, security forces were monitoring several flashpoints
after anti-foreigner violence continued during the night.
Superintendent Andre Traut said shops were looted and burnt
in Du Noon squatter settlement and in Kraaifontein outside Cape
Town, as well as the city's largest township, Khayelitsha where
an estimated one million people stay.
"Most of the incidents (on Friday night) occurred in
Khayelitsha where we had our hands full to protect the
community," Traut said.
Most foreigners left the area
voluntarily or were escorted by police.
'Embarrassing for government'
South Africa's foreign minister said on Friday the violence
was embarrassing for the government and created a "very bad
image" for the country.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma told Reuters in
Moscow that the government would deal decisively with it.
Manala Manzini, head of the National Intelligence Agency,
said on Friday people linked to former apartheid security forces
were stoking the violence.
Earlier this week President Thabo Mbeki authorised the army
to help quell the violence.
The violence comes amid power shortages and growing
discontent which have rattled investors in Africa's biggest
economy.
Officials in the tourism industry are worried overseas
visitors will stay away. The country hopes to draw half a
million extra tourists for the 2010 soccer World Cup.
- Reuters