Five South Africans have been reportedly killed and 189 arrested as South Africa President, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa swung into action clamp down on perpetrators of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. Not fewer than 50 Nigerians have been killed within eight months in South Africa.
This is just as the African Union, Nigeria and Zambia have condemned the attacks.
In a video address broadcast on Twitter, Ramaphosa said: ”Attacks on businesses run by “foreign nationals is something totally unacceptable.
Something that we cannot allow to happen in South Africa.” “I want it to stop immediately,” said Ramaphosa. Violence had “no justification.” Sporadic violence against foreign-owned stores and enterprises has a long history in South Africa, where many locals blame immigrants for high unemployment.
‘The country is a major destination for economic migrants from neighbouring Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Others come from much farther away, including South Asia and Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.”
Ramaphosa Hordes admitted that there are people who are armed with axes and machetes. It was gathered that the South Africans have gathered in Johannesburg’s central business district for a third day of unrest directed against foreigners. Hours, mobs burned and looted shops in the township of Alexandra, prompting police to fire rubber bullets to disperse them.
Five deaths — most of them South Africans — have been reported, police said, adding that 189 people had been arrested.”