Concerns over growing xenophobic threat in South Africa
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – The High Commission of Nigeria has warned citizens living in South Africa to be vigilant and exercise caution following a surge in xenophobia which has been fuelled by the Operation Dudula movement.
“This is to advise Nigerians living in South Africa to be vigilant and exercise caution in their activities due to the recent utterances of the proponents of the Operation Dudula and their threats to attack foreign nationals in this country,” the advisory said.
It said the group, which is based in Johannesburg, has been fomenting tensions by circulating video clips announcing plans to march against foreign migrants and specifically on foreign business owners, shops and undocumented foreign nationals.
A South Africa’s Member of the Executive Council for Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, last week sparked an outcry for targeting a Zimbabwean national.
Ramathuba was recorded telling a patient that she would be confined to the Bela-Bela Hospital in Limpopo until she paid her medical bills.
The patient was in a car accident in Zimbabwe but came to South Africa for treatment. She was allegedly undocumented and was awaiting surgery.
And South African lawmaker Gayton Mackenzie last week launched a vitriolic attack against foreigners who are in the country illegally, saying he would go as far as disconnecting them from oxygen machines at hospitals.
“We are saying illegal foreigners should not even be in the country because them being here is a crime. They must thank their lucky stars I was not the leader of the country because I would walk into that hospital, I would unplug that gas that they are enjoying from South Africa,” he said.
Pan-African Parliament vice-president Victoria Kingstone reacted angrily to the incident, saying: “It’s so unfortunate…this is a female doctor ill-treating a patient. We are one Africa, whichever country one belongs to. When it comes to humanitarian issues we should behave as human beings."
-0- PANA CU/MA 5Sept2022
