Appeals for social cohesion
Remembering victims of xenophobic violence and historic birth of the OAU
VICTIMS of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa in the past decade were remembered as Africans of various nationalities converged in Joburg this past weekend.
The dozens of people killed and thousands left homeless during those attacks and remembrance of those attacks coincided with the commemorations of Africa Week, marking the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now called the African Union, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1963.
African Diaspora chairman Marc Gbaffou told CAJ News that the coming together of South Africans and other African nationals at Barnato Park High School in Berea was clear testimony of unity as people of the continent commemorated the formation of the organisation.
“Basically, we are commemorating Africa Week following the historic birth of the OAU, now called AU.
“We are also remembering the deaths of the 63 people and more than 200000 others who were left destitute during the deadly xenophobic violence of 2008,” said Gbaffou.
Those killed during the outbreaks in 2015 and earlier this year were also remembered. While less pronounced in recent years, the xenophobic violence in 2008 was the worst suffered by South Africa.
Besides the deaths, property worth millions of rand was looted or destroyed as locals went on the rampage, accusing foreign nationals of stealing their jobs, resources and women.
Gbaffou said such a repeat of bloodshed was intolerable and a recurrence would not be allowed even by South Africans.
He, however, warned City of Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba to desist from making utterances that would be wrongly interpreted as xenophobic.
People of the continent, he said, always aspired to live together in harmony “from Cape to Cairo”.
In a separate interview with CAJ News on the sidelines of the commemoration in Berea, Gauteng provincial government director of sport and recreation Fani Mokoena said the country’s economic hub was supporting social cohesion.
“We are commemorating Africa Week to promote social cohesion, but at the same time addressing the issue of xenophobia. We are also commemorating the African nationals in the country killed from 2008 and in other years that followed.”
He said the main purpose of the event was to unite Africans and mobilise them to remain empathetic to each other.
“Sport can be a vehicle to address social ills and xenophobic attacks,” Mokoena said.
Thousands of people from various African nationalities dressed in their traditional clothing, while others waved flags from their home countries,
Some shared food, played football, danced and hugged each other in the spirit of Pan Africanism.
Officials from the newly formed workers’ federation, the South African Federation of Trade Unions, also attended.
Meanwhile, prior to the event in Berea, Constitution Hill hosted the launch of the Africa Week Festival, to be held under the theme A Better Africa for All.
Festivities kicked off last Saturday and will run until this Saturday.
Africa Day is commemorated on May 25.
Activities include film screenings, debates, entrepreneurial workshops and sports. The grand finale will unfold in a parade and live music performances.
ANC councillor Dan Bovu
‘Sport can be a vehicle to address social ills’
emphasised the need for local citizens to embrace their colleagues from around the continent.
“South Africans need to consider themselves as Africans,” he said.
The chairperson of Traditional Healing Practition- ers of South Africa, Rapholo Chauke, urged traditional leaders to play a role by addressing situations that threatened harmony.
He proposed a cleansing ceremony following the bloodshed that occurred in recent years. – CAJ News