Xenophobia: SA Army deployed in Alexandra, Durban

Thirty years ago, I was among thousands of former National Servicemen (they called us “campers”) called up by the Army to assist the overwhelmed SA Police in Soweto. A full-scale war had broken out between the “Impis” and the “Comrades”, the one aligned with Inkatha, the other ANC. It was a deadly battle which was to continue for another decade with hundreds of combatants and innocents slaughtered, primarily in KZN. Back in 1985, our role was to try keep the peace, offer a show of force by patrolling the streets and, where necessary, act as a deterrent to separate massed antagonists. It was a thankless and dangerous role, especially as we were unaware of the levers being pulled behind the scenes. South Africa’s Army was today asked to support overstretched policemen. Once more, soldiers are expected to provide a protective buffer, still a thankless, dangerous task. The big difference is this time, the entire nation’s prayers are with them. – Alec Hogg  
By Amogelang Mbatha and Paul Burkhardt

(Bloomberg) — South Africa is sending the army to townships around Johannesburg and Durban in the first deployment to quell civilian unrest since 2008 after attacks against immigrants left at least seven people dead.

Durban
Picture: YouTube

“We will deploy troops to volatile areas,” Defense Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said in televised comments to reporters during a visit to Alexandra township in Johannesburg on Tuesday where a couple from Zimbabwe was shot late Monday. “We are deploying because it is an emergency.” The army will support police officers, who will take the lead in containing the violence, she said.

South Africa is experiencing its worst anti-immigrant attacks in seven years as mainly foreign shop owners in townships are being driven from their businesses. President Jacob Zuma canceled a state visit to Indonesia this week to deal with the crisis. Police say they have arrested 307 people for public order-related violence in the past two weeks, and the authorities have promised to prosecute perpetrators.

Some poor South Africans see immigrants as competitors for jobs and business opportunities in a country with a 24 percent unemployment rate and an economy hit by rolling power blackouts.

“It may be a belated effort to demonstrate especially to other governments in Africa and people in South Africa that they are willing to make the hard decision to try and get to grips with what is happening,” Roland Henwood, a politics lecturer at University of Pretoria, said Tuesday by phone. “Maybe they have information that this is out of the control of the police so they have to act with much more vigor.”

Police Request

The army’s Military Command held an urgent meeting to discuss the impact of the violence “on national security and stability” and agreed to a police request to provide support, South African National Defence Force spokesman Xolani Mabanga said in an e-mailed statement.

“The Military Command of the SANDF wants to send a very strong message to those involved in these acts of violence and other criminal activities to desist from such acts,” Mabanga said. “The SANDF will not stand by and watch whilst innocent lives are being threatened.”

Residents of Alexandra said the army presence may help calm the unrest.

“It’s a good thing,” said Alphonso, a bearded 42-year-old man said as he repaired a leather shoe and sold candy and cigarettes from a table on the sidewalk. “Everyone is afraid of the army; it’s going to control the situation.” Originally from KwaZulu-Natal province and a resident of Alexandra for 20 years, he asked that his last name not be used for fear of being victimized.

Violence Subsides

While the violence has subsided since last week, the attacks are an embarrassment for South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, whose members sought refuge in many African nations during the fight against white minority rule.

Governments from Nigeria to Malawi and Zimbabwe have condemned the attacks and called on South African authorities to do more to contain the violence.

“It is clear that the ANC government is losing control over society and now resorting to extreme measures in the same manner done by the apartheid regime,” the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters party said in a statement. “The crisis that confronts society is primarily a political crisis born of politicians who have failed to provide jobs for the people of South Africa, and who have failed to educate the nation on coexistence of all Africans, including socio-economic migrants.”

Four Arrested

Four people appeared in a Johannesburg court on Tuesday on charges of involvement in the murder of a Mozambican man on April 18 that newspapers photographed and published. The Zimbabwean couple shot and injured in Alexandra on Monday night was confronted by three suspects allegedly posing as policemen.

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini on Monday condemned attacks on foreign nationals as he tried to deflect criticism that his comments last month fueled violence that left at least seven people dead.

“Whether it be in rural or urban areas I ask all to adhere to the rule of law and show that we know how to behave,” Zwelithini told thousands of members of South Africa’s biggest ethnic group in the eastern port city of Durban. “We are a nation that loves peace. I ask for peace to reign, dear Zulu people.”

Zulu King

His speech followed comments the Durban-based Mercury newspaper cited him on March 23 as saying foreigners were depriving South Africans of economic opportunities and should return home. The king’s office said his comments were misinterpreted.

Jay Naicker, a police spokesman in Durban, said he hadn’t heard of the army’s deployment.

“I don’t know anything about it, but things have quietened down here,” he said by phone. “But I can’t comment as this may be an army matter.”

In January, at least six people died during attacks and looting of shops owned by mainly Somalis, Ethiopians and Pakistanis in townships around Johannesburg.

The anti-foreigner violence is the worst since 2008, when about 60 people were killed.

*****

By Zandi Shabalala

Kenya Defence Force soldiers arrive in Garissa University College in Garissa GORAN TOMASEVIC REUTERS
GORAN TOMASEVIC/ REUTERS

JOHANNESBURG, April 21 (Reuters) – South Africa sent soldiers on Tuesday to help stop anti-immigrant violence in areas of Durban and Johannesburg where at least seven people have been killed in the past three weeks.

South Africa has been criticised by governments, including China, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, for failing to protect foreigners as armed mobs were shown on TV looting immigrant-owned shops and front-page photographs in a Sunday newspaper showed a Mozambican man being beaten and stabbed to death in broad daylight.

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said a Zimbabwean couple were shot in the Johannesburg shanty town of Alexandra on Monday night but survived.

Briefing reporters on the deployment of troops to Alexandra and to the coastal town of Durban, where the violence started, she said: “There will be those who will be critical of this decision but the vulnerable will appreciate it.”

On Tuesday, four men, aged between 18 and 22 years old, were charged in Alexandra’s Magistrates Court with the murder and robbery of the Mozambican man, Emmanuel Sithole, a street vendor in the low-income area.

Outside the court, protesters picketed and locals gathered.

“It’s not right this thing, they shouldn’t have killed him,” said Fulufhelo Ravhura, a 37-year-old Alexandra resident. “That guy was selling sweets and cigarettes, how was he stealing anyone’s job?”

Periodic outbreaks of anti-immigrant violence have been blamed on high unemployment, which is officially around 25 percent although economists say is much higher, widespread poverty and vast wealth gap.

Hundreds of Malawians marched on South Africa’s High Commission in the capital Lilongwe on Tuesday, demanding charges be laid against King Zwelithini amid calls for a boycott of South African businesses.

 

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