Malema, Ramaphosa & Dlamini-Zuma condemn Durban xenophobic attacks
Politicians have joined the public in condemning xenophobic attacks in Durban, following recent incidents that saw foreign nationals seek shelter in community halls, mosques and police stations.
Xenophobia continued to dominate news headlines and Twitter trends on Sunday, as President Cyril Ramaphosa, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Julius Malema condemned the attacks.
Foreign nationals who reside in areas such as Sydenham, Jadhu Place informal settlement and Overport were attacked last week.
Speaking at his party's election manifesto launch in the Western Cape on Saturday, EFF leader Julius Malema said the attacks on foreign nationals equate to 'self-hate'.
"Stop your self-hatred, stop attacking our brothers from Africa, our sisters from Africa, we are one thing. You say they are taking your jobs [but] even if we expel them tomorrow, you will still not get a job. There are no jobs in South Africa because whites are refusing to invest money."
Planning and evaluation minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma took to Twitter to plead with South Africans not to attack fellow Africans.
It is disappointing that our country is experiencing attacks on foreign nationals. These attacks go against everything we stand for as a nation. We reject all kinds of Xenophobia, we strongly condemn violent attacks against fellow Africans. #StopXenophobia
— Dr Dlamini Zuma (@DlaminiZuma) March 31, 2019
President Cyril Ramaphosa also weighed in on the matter during a presidential dinner in Durban, and said that South Africans must not present themselves as an intolerant people.
"These recent attacks that have been levelled against people from other countries are wrong. They violate everything that our people fought for over many decades. I condemn them in the strongest terms."
'Afrophobia' and 'self-hate' are some of the terms that dominated conversations online as people weighed in on the attacks.
We South Africans are lazy and can't even anything, we prefer to sit down at home and expect manner to fall from heaven. We always blame the white man and foreigners. How many black south Africans travel to China, Dubai etc to buy goods in bulk and retail here? #Xenophobia
— I speak the truth (@truthfireyou) March 31, 2019
#Xenophobia
— Humble Kenyan Prince (@StephenKevinka2) March 31, 2019
It is sad that a class 4 drop out in South Africa ,thinks that a doctor in kenya ,Zimbabwe or any other African countries is the reason for their unemployment!!!
Stop that shit head mentality.I have south African friend here in kenya ,let's respect each other!
Someone should tell South Africans that when they complain of foreigners taking up their jobs and engaging in small businesses, in Kenya we have the Chinese hawking and roasting maize by the roadside and we haven't attacked any of them. #Xenophobia
— Carrington Mwendwa (@CarringtonMwen1) March 31, 2019
We all draw to the same origin. Where is the human South Africa? Stop killing foreigners. You fought for freedom together. No country that stands alone😪#Xenophobia pic.twitter.com/qErFZ8j7lE
— Mugambi Harmaton 🇰🇪 (@TryMugambi) March 31, 2019
You cannot replace your laziness by hitting hardworking Foreigners
— Keitumetse Moloi (@Keitumoloi) March 31, 2019
You can’t sit by the corner and sell tomatoes like Zimbabweans but you claim they’re stealing your jobs ??
How ?? #Xenophobia