PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Malawi: Calls for boycott of South African goods as Malawians plan demos over xenophobia
Blantyre, Malawi (PANA) - Malawian civil rights activists have urged Malawians to boycott South African shops and goods to show anger over xenophobic attacks in South Africa in their second week.
"We're urging Malawians to boycott all South African shops and goods. We're giving them one week to close their shops. On Friday next week we will physically close all South African shops like Shoprite and Game if they don't close on their own," John Kapito, Executive Director of the Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA), told PANA Friday.
He added: "If they don't want us in their country, we don't want their goods here too."
According to the Malawi government, as of Friday the figure of Malawians in make-shift camps have reached 1,070 and counting.
"Things are getting worse. A new camp has been discovered in Durban where there are thousands of foreigners. It is called Verulan. We have registered so far 245 Malawians and the figure is likely to rise. We are failing to reach Gemston Police Station in Gauteng, Johannesburg, because people have blocked roads and it is believed there are also a lot of Malawians there," said Information Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa.
He added: "The figure of registered Malawians in these camps has now reached 1,070. The figure is likely to rise because in Johannesburg they have also discovered Primrose Camp that is yet to be assessed. Most victims in Verulan are women and children. And there is again another camp Greenwood Park Station in Durban. Our officers are also going there to asses."
Nankhumwa said the Malawi government welcomes remarks by South African President Jacob Zuma condemning the attacks.
"The Malawi government welcomes remarks by President Zuma and we hope South Africans will take this seriously. It is our hope South African security agencies will take this seriously and step up security for foreigners, including Malawians," he said.
Vice President Saulos Chilima, who is in charge with President Peter Mutharika away in the United States, expressed shock at the events in South Africa.
"This is saddening; it's shocking to see Africans rising against Africans. We are supposed to be one continent. The government of South Africa has assured us it is stepping up security for foreigners. The Malawi government will make sure it brings home alive and safely all Malawians stranded in South Africa," he said.
Chilima said the first six buses, each with 70 people on board, are expected to arrive in the commercial capital, Blantyre, and the capital, Lilongwe, on Sunday.
"They are going to be put in two holding camps for assessment. Government will transport them to their respective homes," he said.
Meanwhile, civil rights activists have organised street demonstrations in Lilongwe to protest against the xenophobia attacks.
"We are holding street demonstrations in Lilongwe this coming Tuesday. We will deliver a petition to the South African High Commission. We want to register our anger on attacks meted out to Malawian migrant workers," said Billy Mayaya, the main organiser of the demonstrations.
Mayaya commended government for facilitating the repatriation of the stranded Malawians.
"But I think the 400 or 600 that are in the (Internally Displaced People) IDP camps is a drop in the ocean. The population of Malawians in South Africa is expected to be around 200,000. We urge government to create an enabling environment for the creation of jobs here so that people don't feel the need to trek to South Africa. We expect government to initiate some form of protectionism so that we control the influx of South African goods so that we grow our own
industries," he said.
Lewis Chankwantha, chairman of the parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, urged the Malawi Government to engage the South African Government on the property of these displaced Malawians.
"Some of them have been in South Africa for a long time and acquired property but they did not have time to collect their property. The South African government must compensate them," he said.
Many Malawian young men trek to South Africa in search of work.
Attacks on foreigners, mainly from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Somalia, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, begun reportedly following remarks by King Goodwill Zwelithini of Kwazulu Natal that foreigners must pack up and go home. The influential traditional leader has since distanced himself from the remarks, saying they were 'mis-translated'.
Nonetheless, South African Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, has roundly condemned traditional leaders to 'mind their language'.
-0- PANA RT/VAO 17April2015
"We're urging Malawians to boycott all South African shops and goods. We're giving them one week to close their shops. On Friday next week we will physically close all South African shops like Shoprite and Game if they don't close on their own," John Kapito, Executive Director of the Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA), told PANA Friday.
He added: "If they don't want us in their country, we don't want their goods here too."
According to the Malawi government, as of Friday the figure of Malawians in make-shift camps have reached 1,070 and counting.
"Things are getting worse. A new camp has been discovered in Durban where there are thousands of foreigners. It is called Verulan. We have registered so far 245 Malawians and the figure is likely to rise. We are failing to reach Gemston Police Station in Gauteng, Johannesburg, because people have blocked roads and it is believed there are also a lot of Malawians there," said Information Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa.
He added: "The figure of registered Malawians in these camps has now reached 1,070. The figure is likely to rise because in Johannesburg they have also discovered Primrose Camp that is yet to be assessed. Most victims in Verulan are women and children. And there is again another camp Greenwood Park Station in Durban. Our officers are also going there to asses."
Nankhumwa said the Malawi government welcomes remarks by South African President Jacob Zuma condemning the attacks.
"The Malawi government welcomes remarks by President Zuma and we hope South Africans will take this seriously. It is our hope South African security agencies will take this seriously and step up security for foreigners, including Malawians," he said.
Vice President Saulos Chilima, who is in charge with President Peter Mutharika away in the United States, expressed shock at the events in South Africa.
"This is saddening; it's shocking to see Africans rising against Africans. We are supposed to be one continent. The government of South Africa has assured us it is stepping up security for foreigners. The Malawi government will make sure it brings home alive and safely all Malawians stranded in South Africa," he said.
Chilima said the first six buses, each with 70 people on board, are expected to arrive in the commercial capital, Blantyre, and the capital, Lilongwe, on Sunday.
"They are going to be put in two holding camps for assessment. Government will transport them to their respective homes," he said.
Meanwhile, civil rights activists have organised street demonstrations in Lilongwe to protest against the xenophobia attacks.
"We are holding street demonstrations in Lilongwe this coming Tuesday. We will deliver a petition to the South African High Commission. We want to register our anger on attacks meted out to Malawian migrant workers," said Billy Mayaya, the main organiser of the demonstrations.
Mayaya commended government for facilitating the repatriation of the stranded Malawians.
"But I think the 400 or 600 that are in the (Internally Displaced People) IDP camps is a drop in the ocean. The population of Malawians in South Africa is expected to be around 200,000. We urge government to create an enabling environment for the creation of jobs here so that people don't feel the need to trek to South Africa. We expect government to initiate some form of protectionism so that we control the influx of South African goods so that we grow our own
industries," he said.
Lewis Chankwantha, chairman of the parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee, urged the Malawi Government to engage the South African Government on the property of these displaced Malawians.
"Some of them have been in South Africa for a long time and acquired property but they did not have time to collect their property. The South African government must compensate them," he said.
Many Malawian young men trek to South Africa in search of work.
Attacks on foreigners, mainly from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Somalia, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, begun reportedly following remarks by King Goodwill Zwelithini of Kwazulu Natal that foreigners must pack up and go home. The influential traditional leader has since distanced himself from the remarks, saying they were 'mis-translated'.
Nonetheless, South African Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, has roundly condemned traditional leaders to 'mind their language'.
-0- PANA RT/VAO 17April2015
