The Special Reference Group on Migration and Community Integration in KwaZulu-Natal found there was no direct link between comments Zwelithini made in March last year - that foreigners should leave South Africa - and the xenophobic attacks, but it identified statements from public figures as contributing to tensions between locals and foreign nationals.
"They include statements at the highest level including President Jacob Zuma, the king and political leaders. We condemn this kind of inflammatory speech because of the likelihood that it could instigate violence," the group's chair and former UN high commissioner for human rights, Judge Navi Pillay, said yesterday.
Pillay said there was no evidence to link Zwelithini's comments made in Pongola to the violence in Isipingo, south of Durban, on March 30.
She said Zwelithini declined to be interviewed by the group.
"We wished to have an audience with King Zwelithini and made a number of approaches. We finally had a written response from [his] secretary, who said because the SA Human Rights Commission was investigating the speech, the king felt he didn't need to be interviewed."
Pillay yesterday released the findings and recommendations following an investigation into the attacks against foreigners. At least seven people were killed, hundreds injured and thousands displaced.
The investigation found the immediate cause was the result of "deliberate efforts to drive away competition by foreign national-owned businesses".
It was triggered by the perception that Isipingo's KwaJeena's Supermarket hired only foreigners.
"These incidents together created a combustible environment within the context of prevalent poverty, a difficult international economic climate, increasing socioeconomic inequality and high levels of unemployment."
Pillay said there was a strong possibility for recurrence of violence as the underlying tensions had not been resolved.
"I don't think attacks are imminent. We are saying tensions are there and this is going to blow up again unless addressed seriously."
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