The recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa have left the African continent and the world at large disgruntled and in disarray. Scenes of violence swept across the “Rainbow” nation with South African nationals battering and in the due course killing immigrants in the country.
With the country plagued by a dark history of violence in the Apartheid rule that manifested for 46 years and these scenes seem to have rekindled the turbulent times the nation has been through.
The attacks were triggered early in March following a labour dispute between South Africans and immigrants who were perceived to be taking up all employment opportunities with the unemployment hitting a new low 25% sparking off wild protests in Kwazulu-Natal, Durban and Soweto.
With the nation already in a fragile state, Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini was at the center of controversy after making remarks in Pongola that “foreigners should pack their bags and leave” leading to a further wave of storm and outrage by South Africans over immigrants.
The spread of violence has prompted the involvement and concern of world governing bodies like the UN that have condemned the attacks and called for quick response to the violence.
Victims of these xenophobic attacks have been from several African countries which have come out to strongly condemn the treatment of their nationals with many evacuating their citizens home. Most notably are Zimbabweans who make up the largest percentage of immigrants in South Africa.
President Jacob Zouma spoke out and condemned the xenophobic violence in the country pointing out South Africans sought refuge in African countries during its turbulent time and pleaded with South Africans that anger destroys a nation rather than builds it.
