‘KZN attacks criminal, not xenophobic’

The eThekwini municipality and the Malawi High Commission have jointly denied that the recent violence aimed at foreign nationals in Durban was xenophobic – stating‚ instead‚ that it was criminally motivated.

This week‚ foreign nationals were targeted in sporadic outbreaks of violence in the Sydenham and Overport areas of the city. In at least two cases‚ they were forced to seek refuge at police stations.

But on Friday‚ the eThekwini council and the Malawi High Commission denied the violence was xenophobic.

“The incidents that led to Malawian nationals being chased out of their homes are not xenophobia but were criminally motivated as their belongings were stolen by the angry mob‚” the municipality said.

It said the council and the commission were working tirelessly to integrate the foreign nationals – who were predominantly of Malawian descent – back to their communities.

eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede issued a stern warning to leaders of all political parties to desist from making populist statements that inflamed xenophobia or any other form of discrimination.

“No African is a foreigner in Africa,” she said.

“As the municipality‚ we are committed to working together with organisations representing immigrants and civil society formations to deal with issues that cause tension between and among all our people.”–