JOHANNESBURG -- Scores of African immigrants gathered here last week for a prayer session in remembrance of at least 60 people who were killed during xenophobic violence that hit South Africa two years ago.The prayer session in Johannesburgs Yeoville suburb was also to mark the start of Africa Week Festival that organisers say is meant to promote dialogue and peaceful co-existence between locals and foreign immigrants.
Addressing the audience that included representatives of civil society as well as ambassadors for some African countries, local councilor Nomaswazi Nohalala condemned xenophobic violence, while urging foreign immigrants not to isolate themselves but to integrate into their local communities to avoid standing out as vulnerable targets.
Lets all work together to make sure it doesnt happen again, Nohalala said.
The 2008 xenophobic violence that began in Johannesburg before spreading to other townships and provinces across the country saw mobs of South African men armed with machetes, axes, spears and guns attacking and killing immigrants in an two-week orgy of violence that shocked a nation, which prides itself as among the most tolerant societies in the world.
Xenophobic violence reared its ugly head again late last year when mobs of South African youths drove hundreds of immigrants from Zimbabwe, Lesotho and other African countries from their homes in the farming town of De Doorns, near Cape Town, accusing them of stealing their jobs.
The Consortium for Refugee and Migrants in South Africa has expressed fears of fresh xenophobic attacks against foreign immigrants in the country once next months World Cup tournament is over.
The group that campaigns for the rights of immigrants in Africas biggest economy called on the South African government to take preventive measures now to ensure that foreigners will not be victimised once the soccer tournament is over and the world spotlight is turned away from South Africa.
Post published in: Politics