Afghan blast waste of life - ANC
2012-09-19 22:16
Johannesburg - The suicide bomb attack that killed eight South Africans in Kabul, Afghanistan was described as "an unwarranted waste of life" by the African National Congress on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Jackson Mthembu in a statement: "These wanton and indiscriminate killings are not helping to defuse tensions in Afghanistan."
The South Africans were killed on Tuesday morning.
Mthembu said the party was calling for the parties at war to "give peace a chance".
It also extended condolences to the victims' families.
"We extend our heartfelt condolence to the families of our fellow South Africans and call on all South Africans to keep them in their prayers," he said.
Cosatu also condemned the attack, saying there was no justification for the random killing of the South Africans and others, whatever the complaint may have been.
The motive for the attack was reportedly a film, made in the United States, about the Prophet Muhammad.
"We demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice," Cosatu said in a statement.
Beeld newspaper reported that the victims worked for the Johannesburg company ACS/Balmoral.
The suicide bomber, thought to be a woman, also died in the attack, as did the Afghan minibus driver, a ground crew member from Kyrgyzstan, and a pedestrian.
Airline Pilots' Association president Captain Fanie Coetzee said the bomb had been a deliberate attack on innocent civilians.
"This abhorrent and senseless tragedy is viewed by the Association as not only a direct threat to civil society and global peace, but a blatant and deliberate attack on innocent civilians."
Members of the ALPA-SA were among those killed.
The African Christian Democratic Party was also aggrieved by the deaths.
"We strongly condemn the practice of suicide bombing and those responsible for it. There can be no justification for so heartlessly and cruelly taking these and other lives," its chief whip Cheryllyn Dudley said in a statement.
The ACDP called on "Media for Christ" to either refute accusations that they were involved in the production of the anti-Islam film, or take responsibility for their actions.
- SAPA
