SA pushes back against xenophobia fury
● As the diplomatic fallout from the xenophobic violence intensified this week, the South African government remained steadfast in its denial of xenophobia, opting instead to condemn violent attacks.
South African diplomats across the continent were instructed this week to stick to a script when asked about the violence against migrants.
The note contained a blanket condemnation of violent attacks “in the strongest possible terms”. However, no mention was made of the xenophobic motive behind the violence.
The Sunday Times understands President Cyril Ramaphosa took the same line in his meeting with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s envoy, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, on Friday.
This was despite Ramaphosa’s acknowledgement of the existence of xenophobia in SA in his address to the nation on Thursday evening in which he condemned the violence and looting.
“There can be no excuse for the attacks on the homes and businesses of foreign nationals, just as there can be no excuse for xenophobia or any other form of intolerance,” he said.
However, insiders said there was no mention of xenophobia during Ramaphosa’s meeting with Abubakar, in which he is said to have stuck to the line that it was violent attacks that led to the killings of more South Africans.
Eight of the 10 people who had died at the time were South African citizens.
Despite harsh words and threats from Abuja, by the time Abubakar and Ramaphosa met on Friday the mood had calmed down. Insiders said that while Abubakar conveyed Buhari’s concerns around the violence, Ramaphosa pushed back. Ramaphosa is said to have stood firm in the meeting, calling on Nigeria to assist with some of its citizens who were committing crimes in SA and were in the country illegally.
The president reasserted his publicly held view that rising nationalism globally is affecting the rise of tribalism on the continent.
Presidency spokeswoman Khusela Diko said Abubakar conveyed “Buhari’s concern at recent events”. Diko said Buhari, through Abubakar, had undertaken to act against lawlessness and the targeting of SA businesses in Nigeria.
“President Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa-Nigeria relations as being firm and
strong and said the two partners were resolute in their shared commitment to build an Africa at peace with itself and others.”
South African missions across the continent were on high alert after retaliatory attacks against South African businesses in Nigeria.
As Nigerian foreign minister Godfrey Onyema demanded that SA pay damages for Nigerian property harmed in the violence, the South African government took a hard line. Insiders said the Nigerian government was told that it would gladly assist Nigerian businesses that were legitimately registered in SA and had their affairs in order with the South African Revenue Service.
The government’s justice, crime prevention and security cluster sent out speaking notes to diplomats and politicians on the official line, which states a general condemnation of violent attacks.
“South Africa as an integral part of the African continent advocates for a peaceful, vibrant and sustainable Africa. As Africans we all have a shared commitment to foster peace and greater continental unity,” the speaking notes read.
A government insider said diplomats were told what to say in response to the outrage to avoid “people saying what they want to and giving in to provocation”.
“The region’s economies are interlinked and we will continue to work together for increased trade and investment that benefits everyone,” diplomats were told to say in their meetings with officials from other states.
In the carefully worded statement, diplomats were told to repeat the message that the government condemned the violent attacks and the police were dealing with the problem.
“The South African Police Service, supported by other agencies, are tracking crime, lawlessness, intolerance, and disregard for the rule of law,” it said.
Diplomats were told that the police had moved quickly to address the situation and had made a number of arrests in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
The violence perpetrated by truck drivers in KwaZulu-Natal was also given a spin.
“Many of our neighbours are landlocked, they can only get freight via ports either in South Africa or Namibia.
“Therefore many of the truck drivers on our roads will naturally be foreign nationals who are employed by companies operating in other nations,” said the speaking notes.