RISING violence against migrants in South Africa has prompted other African countries to repatriate hundreds of their nationals. Thousands more are living in fields or hiding in remote areas after fleeing attacks.
In Durban, a makeshift transit camp is housing at least 3000 Malawians, local media report. Nigeria, Mozambique, Ghana, and Malawi have already repatriated hundreds of citizens in the wake of xenophobic threats and attacks.
South African protesters are blaming migrants, particularly those from elsewhere in Africa, for the country’s economic and social challenges, which include high unemployment. Youth unemployment among the 15-24s is more than 60 per cent.
Many of those targeted in the wave of violence have lived and worked in South Africa for decades. Demonstrators had called for undocumented migrants to leave the country by 30 June.
The Vicar-General of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, the Bishop of Matlosane, the Rt Revd Stephen Diseko — who is acting in place of the Archbishop of Cape Town, Dr Thabo Makgoba, during the latter’s sabbatical — has appealed for an end to the violence.
In a video appeal, Bishop Diseko said: “The Anglican Church is deeply disturbed and challenged by the violence and brutality being inflicted on foreign nationals living in our country. While we believe that our immigration laws should be enforced, they should be implemented by the proper authorities and not vigilantes, and we strongly oppose threats and animosity directed at migrants.
“We call on those who instigate and spread animosity against our fellow brothers and sisters to stop it. Among the migrants there are people who due to circumstances in their home countries have been forced to flee and seek refuge elsewhere, and in this instance they have found homes here in South Africa.”
He compared the attacks to the Soweto uprising on 16 June 1976, “when our children fled our country — but they were not attacked; in fact, they sought and were granted refuge and hospitality in other countries.”
The 50th anniversary of the uprising — in which 200 young people protesting against apartheid in the education system were shot and killed by police — was marked in the country this week.
Bishop Diseko also called for an investigation into government corruption to root out those who have issued passports and citizenship illegally.
The World Health Organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the violence was a “tragic betrayal” of nations that had supported South Africa during the apartheid period.
Roman Catholic bishops, too, have condemned the attacks and warned political leaders against exploiting the crisis.