By Takudzwa Mashumba.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) -Foreigners in South Africa are on high alert and panic after a South African resident’s association issued a statement to have the foreigners chased away due to increased poverty and competition for jobs in the South African communities.
Despite Boko Haram, the Islamist terrorist organization, having threatened to kill all South Africans in Nigeria, Niger, Chad and the surrounding region due to xenophobia attacks in South Africa a few years back, yesterday a South African residents association issued a statement which left foreign nationals in panic mode.
On Wednesday afternoon a purported group calling itself “Mamelodi Concerned Residents” circulated a letter enforcing stereotypes and accusing foreign nationals, especially Nigerians, Zimbabweans and Pakistanis of committing heinous crimes like building hijackings, drug peddling and human trafficking.
In the letter, the residents blamed government of exacerbating criminal acts by giving legalising foreign nationals in the country.
“Why is the government giving asylum seeker status to Nigerians, Zimbabweans, Pakistanis? Is there war in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Pakistan etc? Unemployment is at 34 percent in South Africa but they give people asylum seeker status, when there is no work in South Africa, what do you expect them to do? They will commit crimes,” reads part of the message.
“Go to Spar, Cash Crusaders, Nandos, restaurants and other companies etc, it is only the Zimbabweans and other foreign nationals working there. Where must South Africans work? The Chinese are working in their countries but Africans from other countries come here to take from another poor person. Where must South Africans work?”
Without specifying, the residents called on the South African government to repeal certain laws they said discriminated against white South Africans, while calling for an end to the issuance of asylum permits to fellow Africans.
“Our fellow white South Africans are not working but government gives work to Zimbabweans and other foreigners ahead of them. Repeal the laws that discriminate against our fellow white South Africans,” reads the message.
“Zimbabweans, Nigerians and Pakistanis etc are not our countrymen. Nigerians, Pakistanis, Zimbabweans etc bring nothing but destruction; hijack buildings, sell drugs, inject young South African ladies with drugs and sell them as prostitutes. How is that helping us? They have destroyed our beloved Johannesburg, now they are destroying Pretoria.” reads the letter.
Previously, such messages have been the ignition to xenophobic attacks, hence the panic by most foreigners.
Ngqabutho Mabhena, chairman of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, said the letter was evidence of growing tensions caused by poverty and joblessness.
Comments
About Author
