South Africa ‘cannot guarantee’ end to xenophobic attacks

The South African presidency and many of the nation’s stakeholders say they cannot guarantee an end to raging xenophobic attacks in the country.

The country made this known after Jacob Zuma met with stakeholders across 40 organisations in the country at Sefako Makgatho presidential guest house in Pretoria.

In a statement released by the South African presidency highlighting the outcome of the meeting, the country’s business sector pledged to develop a plan of action against the menace.

“The meeting suggested that government should convene a colloquium where all stakeholders should have a discussion and find out what the real causes of these attacks are, and find solutions,” the statement read.

“The business sector has pledged to develop a plan of action, which will see the sector also speaking out against attacks. The business sector further announced that it will be funding a campaign which will continue to reverse the negativity.

“South Africa must consider a major campaign involving all stakeholders called ‘Bill of Responsibilities’, which is intended to educate young people about what it means to be South African.”

The stakeholders, who had a minute’s silence in honour of the seven killed in various attacks, advised that inspectors should be sent to spaza shops (informal home-run shops), to monitor goods coming into the country.

“Government should consider establishing inspectors who can go out to inspect and investigate all the shops in the country in the rural areas, townships and cities. Government should also consider looking very closely to the movement of goods coming into the country and ultimately into the ‘spaza’ shops in our communities.

“A committee formed out of the Inter-Ministerial Committee including all sectors to find solutions to the challenges that have been identified. The sports fraternity has also committed to use the sporting events they will be hosting to condemn these attacks and call for unity with fellow Africans.”

The presidency however expressly stated that the stakeholders’ meeting could not guarantee and end to the attacks in the country.

“The meeting concluded that it couldn’t guarantee that these attacks will not happen again, unless urgent solutions are found to address genuine concerns that are raised by South Africans.

“The meeting further agreed overwhelmingly in conclusion that the attacks must stop and that all South Africans must be part of the solution.

“President Zuma welcomed the inputs and said they were very helpful and would be used by government in formulating the response of the country as a whole. The President further thanked all the stakeholders for attending the meeting.”