DA: Mbeki must deploy army

2008-05-20 16:05

Johannesburg - The DA called on President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday to deploy the army and set up refugee camps as Gauteng reeled from xenophobic violence that has killed 23 people and displaced 10 000.

"President Thabo Mbeki is notoriously allergic to admitting that even the most obvious crisis is a crisis, so yet again people die because he is out of touch with reality, both here and in Zimbabwe," Gauteng Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Jack Bloom told the provincial legislature.

He said the attacks which started last Sunday, were a "sharp wake-up call to crack down hard on all forms of crime that encourage lawlessness".

The president could easily deploy 21 Battalion based at the Lenasia and Doornkop military bases where they have 900 members on standby, Bloom said.

"They can best assist with cordon and search, visibility patrols and the guarding of entrances and exits. They can free up the police who are better trained to deal directly with the public in tense situations."

He suggested that refugee camps be set up to help the more than 10 000 foreigners displaced in the unrest that started in Alexandra and then spread to Diepsloot and the Johannesburg East Rand.

Victims of violence

"We should set up refugee camps in our province, and lobby for a refugee camp on the border with Zimbabwe where it is desperately needed and will take pressure off Gauteng," said Bloom.

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai also commented on the situation in a statement on Tuesday, saying the "refugees are not here (in South Africa) out of choice, but instead are already victims of violence and economic hardship inflicted upon them by the Mugabe regime".

"The Zimbabwean crisis is impacting economically, socially and politically on all countries in the region.

"My party is committed to working with the SADC (Southern African Development Community), and South Africa in particular, to address the real cause of the crisis and to work towards resolving it in an honest, transparent and democratic manner," the Movement for Democratic Change leader said.

The Gauteng legislature heard that it was not easy to set up refugee camps.

Gauteng Sport MEC Barbara Creecy, speaking on behalf of Community Safety MEC Firoz Cachalia during the legislature debate, rejected the suggestion.

"The issue of setting up refugee centres is not one without complications ... the chances of them (foreigners) ever leaving those camps are thin."

She said those displaced needed to be dealt with "in a way that sustains".

'Kenya-type scenario'

The African National Congress, Inkatha Freedom Party, the Freedom Front and the Independent Democrats all condemned the attacks in the debate that was requested by the DA.

The North West provincial legislature also issued a statement, warning that the "government will unleash the full might of the law on those who wantonly threaten human life and destroy the property of immigrants, life and property of anyone for that matter".

"The violence that we have seen in the last few days could easily find other targets," Bloom warned.

"Already there has been violence against Vendas and Shangaans, who are also seen as outsiders. We could face a Kenya-type scenario where tribal fractures re-emerge with a vengeance in competition for resources," he said.

- SAPA