SA's use of force to combat xenophobic violence is unnecessary‚ says former president Kgalema Motlanthe. Mr Motlanthe told this to delegates while speaking during a Pan African Youth debate at Rhodes University on Monday. The debate was held to commemorate Africa Day.His remarks represent a departure from the government's controversial Operation Fiela‚ during which raids have been conducted around the country to eradicate criminal elements believed to be the catalyst for xenophobic violence‚ according to the state.Hundreds of foreign nationals‚ most of whom are believed to be asylum seekers and refugees‚ have been detained during the raids‚ as well as a trickle of South Africans.Mr Motlanthe‚ who has kept a low profile since he was defeated by President Jacob Zuma at the African National Congress' (ANC) elective conference in Mangaung in 2012‚ called for an end to discrimination on the basis of race and nationality."You do not need to use force to address xenophobia. This is a challenge that can be addressed‚ firstly‚ by ensuring that every person in the country is documented‚" Mr Motlanthe said during the debate.This is the second time Mr Motlanthe has spoken frankly about the government's performance in recent times.During a panel discussion with FW De Klerk in Paarl on Friday‚ Mr Motlanthe expressed misgivings about the way opposition parties were treated in Parliament by the ANC.Human rights activists‚ most notably the People's Coalition Against Xenophobia‚ have criticised the timing of Operation Fiela raids and cautioned that the state's actions could stoke xenophobic tensions again. The state's charaterisation of the raids as "clean sweeps" has also raised rights watchers' ire.In total‚ 1‚650 supposedly undocumented migrants have been detained as a result of Operation Fiela.The government‚ however‚ has denied that its actions have "legitimised" xenophobia. The state is also pressing ahead with stricter migration regulations and moving to tighten border controls. A border management agency‚ responsible for policing SA's borderline and its ports of entry‚ would be up and running by 2017‚ Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said earlier this month.At a post-national executive committee briefing two weeks ago‚ ANC general secretary Gwede Mantashe said it would be impetuous to change Operation Fiela because of its unintended consequences if it is yielding positive results in the process.“If there are things that are wrong in Operation Fiela‚ they must be dealt with. You can’t throw away the programme‚ whose intention is clear and good for society‚ on the basis of incidents that happen in the process of implementing it‚” Mr Mantashe said. - Business Day..