South Africa:XENOPHOBIA: Heartbreaking Photos From

At least five people have been killed over the past two weeks since local vigilantes in South Africa started looting and attacking shops owned by immigrants mainly from other parts of Africa.

DailyMail reports that in Johannesburg, Malawian immigrant, Samuel Idrssa, described how his friend was stabbed and set on fire by a mob.
‘We wanted to rescue him but there were too many of them,’ he said. ‘It was shocking.’
‘We have all left our homes. Those affected are those of us who live in poor townships because we live with poor South Africans who do not have jobs.’
Violence flared days after Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini said in remarks that foreigners should ‘take their bags and go’. And pictures below capture the horror of what’s currently happening in the country.
Addressing parliament in Cape Town on Thursday, President Zuma had reiterated his condemnation of the violence, calling it a ‘violation’ of South Africa’s values.
No amount of frustration or anger can ever justify the attacks on foreign nationals and the looting of their shops,‘ he said. ‘We condemn the violence in the strongest possible terms. The attacks violate all the values that South Africa embodies.’
Below are heartbreaking photo:

Fighting back: Immigrants carrying machetes have clashed with police in a search for locals that attacked foreign shop owners in Durban

On the move: Police officers fire rubber bullets as they disperse the gangs of African immigrants who have fought back in South Africa

Armed: An African immigrant, in a jumper and tracksuit bottoms, firmly grips a machete as violence continued to flare in South Africa

Danger: A man in an Adidas tracksuit armed with an axe charges at a photographer in Johannesburg, cheered on by a crowd behind him

Gang: A group of immigrants brandishing machetes in a run-down area of Johannesburg prepare to defend themselves against the police

Unrest: The xenophobic violence that started in Durban two weeks ago has spread this week to Johannesburg and other areas of the country

Mob: South African hostel dwellers, some brandishing sticks in an aggressive manner, stage a demonstration against foreigners

Intimidation: A man holding a wooden stick and a shield stands outside a hostel during anti-immigration related violence in Johannesburg

Attacks: A gang of local men dressed in civilian clothing demonstrate against foreigners, with one whirling an axe in his right hand

On the run: A woman in a hat dashes off, flanked by other locals, after trying to rob a foreign motorist in Johannesburg

Smoke: A woman covered in soot gestures and shouts towards foreign nationals in the Jeppestown area of Johannesburg yesterday

Chaos: Men from the Jeppie Hostles roll over a torched car in the middle of the street in Jeppestown, Johannesburg

Divisions: A man with a hammer retrieves metal scraps from a burnt-out vehicle after foreign nationals torched a car in the early hours

Aftermath: A man carries an axe as he walks past a burnt out car in Jeppestown after more unrest in the early hours of yesterday morning

Weapon: A man clutches a brick in his left hand as the violence escalates across South Africa – five dead have already died

Victim: Carol Lloyd was left injured and covered in blood after rocks were thrown at and shattered her car window following immigrant protests near Johannesburg in South Africa

People run for cover from a stun grenade and tear gas after a skirmish between locals and foreign nationals in Durban, South Africa

A child looks out from inside a deserted store in Germiston, near Johannesburg after the immigrant owner removed his goods and left in fear of attack from local residents

Foreign nationals have been seen loading trucks with their goods as they flee Primrose, near Johannesburg to escape the violence

Hundreds of people took part in a peace march after anti-immigrant violence flared in Durban. Meanwhile, foreigners fled their homes

Peace: Thousands of people took part in a peace march, calling for an end to the violence against immigrants in South Africa

Refuge: Earlier this week foreign nationals, who were forced out of their homes, took refuge at camps in Isipingo in south Durban

Handouts: The foreigners, including children, were provided with food by the local community after they were threatened with violence.

South Africans are said to be angry about foreigners in the country because unemployment is high and wealth isn’t distributed equally.
The saga apparently started with the speech by King Goodwill Zwelithini who last month said that foreigners must pack up and leave the country. Soon reports about attacks by locals on immigrants broke out. Ten Nigerians were said to be among those attacked. The king, whose so-called “hate speech” is believed to have incited violence, blamed the media for misinterpreting his words. But it did not help to solve either the international diplomatic conflict, nor the violence on the local level.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/424326-xenophobia-heartbreaking-photos-from-south-africa.html

Xenophobic attacks: Nigeria counts losses

Following xenophobic attacks by South Africans against foreigners, particularly those of African descent, Nigerians have been counting their losses with the Nigerian Consul-General, Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke saying the loss by Nigerians included looted shops, burnt shops, two burnt mechanic workshops, 11 burnt cars and two stolen cars, among others.

File Photo:Thousands of people take part in the “peace march” against xenophobia in Durban, South Africa, on April 16, 2015. South African President Jacob Zuma on April 16 appealed for the end of attacks on immigrants as a wave of violence that has left at least six people dead threatened to spread across the country. In the past two weeks, shops and homes owned by Somalis, Ethiopians, Malawians and other immigrants in Durban and surrounding townships have been targeted, forcing families to flee to camps protected by armed guards. AFP PHOTO

Speaking with News Agency of Nigeria, NAN on phone, Ambassador Ajulu-Okeke said “Nigerians have compiled damages to their property and it is totalling about 1.2 million Rand or N21 million, which will be sent to the Federal Government for further action”

She said that in Durban, two of the three Nigerians who were wounded during attacks had been treated and discharged from the hospital.

The consul-general said that she would go back to Durban to assess the situation on ground and meet with the provincial authority on security of Nigerians in that Province.

“The Nigerian mission in South Africa is on top of the situation. We are working hard to protect Nigerians in South Africa.

“Though, the task has not been easy, we are trying our best. In one of the hot spots at Jeppe, near Johannesburg, the mission assisted about 50 stranded Nigerians to re-settle.

“I have also visited the site of the attacks in Johannesburg to assess the damage and it was enormous,” she said.

She said the Nigerian mission would meet with all Nigerian Union chapters in the nine provinces of South Africa to find strategies on how to check the attacks.

“I am bringing all Nigerians together so that we work out a vigilance and alert mechanism; they will also tell me what their challenges and issues are,” she said.

Okeke said the mission and the Nigerian Union had been working cordially to meet the challenges caused by the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

 

SAFA moves against xenophobia, plan football matches

Meanwhile, alarmed by the attacks, South African Football Association, SAFA, Chief Executive Officer, Dennis Mumble said the country’s national team will play two international friendly matches against neighbouring countries in a bid to sensitise the public on the evils of xenophobia.

“We want to use the two high-profile international friendly matches as an instrument to unite this continent. What has been happening in the past few days have really left most people in a shock and dismayed,”he said

According to him, “Nelson Mandela spoke of the power of sport in uniting people from different walks of life and we want to use the power of football to unite this continent and kick out this scourge within certain malcontents in our society. We are one continent, one Africa, we are all Africans and we say no to xenophobia,” Mumble added.

South Africa has in recent days witnessed a spate of some of the most violent xenophobic attacks with at least seven people killed in Durban and Johannesburg.

 

NLC, COSATUU condemn attacks

Reacting to the attacks, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in a statement signed by its Deputy President, Isaa Aremu said it joined its counterpart Federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATUU) “to condemn the reckless violent attacks on African working people and nationals in South Africa with unacceptable resultant avoidable destruction of lives and properties”. According to the statement, “the latest round of attacks was reportedly instigated by the Zulu King in the Kwazulunatal region in South Africa.

It has since spread to other commercial cities like Durban and Johannesburg. Kindly note that similar attacks in January this year claimed several lives. In January, looters burned businesses owned by foreigners. In 2008, Seven years ago, in Johannesburg, anti-immigrant violence claimed many innocent lives. Most of the victims were Zimbabweans who had fled repression and dire economic circumstances. As many as 200 people were arrested on various charges, including rape, murder, robbery and theft.

These serial xenophobic attacks on innocent African workers are grossly unwarranted, condemnable and unacceptable.

“We believe that African workers have a right to seek legitimate work anywhere in the continent based on the dream and ideals set by the founding fathers such as Kwame Nkruma, Julius Nyerere, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nelson Mandela among others.

“The xenophobic attacks in South Africa is a reflection of the crisis of governance in Africa as reflected by the worsening poverty and unemployment rate in the continent”.

“We therefore call on the African Union to prevail on the South African authorities to take immediate measures to protect and safeguard the lives and properties of migrants and indeed all nationals resident in South Africa and ensure that real compensations are paid to the families of all who lost their family members and relations and also for the loss of properties.

“It is time that Governments on the continent are compelled by their citizens to work for the common good of the people. In this direction, we will liaise with our counterpart in South Africa to join in the struggle to ensure that migrant workers do not suffer irresponsible losses anymore”.

 

Multichoice reacts

Also reacting, MultiChoice Africa, the continent’s premier pay-TV company, has described as appalling the violence being visited on foreigners in South Africa. MultiChoice Africa in a statement said “those affected by the wave of anti-foreigner violence happen to be brothers and sisters to their assailants which is abominable and strongly condemnable”.

It urged Africans to see themselves as one irrespective of differences in nationalities, traditions and religions. “As a multicultural African organisation, we respect and embrace diversity, and all the different traditions and religions across the continent. This is demonstrated through our multinational staff complement, rich African programming and channels on both our DStv and GOtv platforms,” the statement said.

It will be recalled that the South African Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Lulu Mnguli, on Saturday promised that the interest of Nigeria would not be hurt by criminals’ activities in South Africa.

Mnguli said that since Nigeria played a key role in helping South Africa to get freedom, it would be wrong for Nigerians to be attacked in that country by any group of persons.

 

Buhari Betrayed Me And Gen. Babangida - Atiku Tells APC

After recent reports suggested that  All Progressive Party’s (APC) five Presidential aspirants for next year’s election have connived and agreed on next year’s flag bearer, Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has denied ever having such knowledge of such an event.

Atiku Abubakar releases a statement on the Boko Haram insurgency. Photo: Facebook

Atiku is staged to challenge for the APC’s spot against former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, Kano state governor Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Imo state governor Chief Rochas Okorocha and a publisher Mr. Sam Nda Isaiah.
Reports had suggested that the aspirants had met in Abuja this Tuesday to agree on the party’s flag bearer for next election so it won’t turn sour come primaries.
In a new interview, Atiku denied such an event: “No, I don’t think so. The issue of withdrawal at this moment is not on the table because as candidates we have not met; let’s say the five of us.
Before you talk of withdrawal, before you talk of consensus, the candidates must meet as a group. And when they meet as a group all of them must submit to a consensus process.
“They must also agree what is going to be the mode of the consensus process. How are we going to get a candidate to emerge? So there has to be process, there has to be willingness of all the parties. At the moment, none.
We have not even met; five of us, not to talk of agreeing to a consensus option. I would like to say, perhaps, we have passed the consensus option, because this is an option that did not go through the national working committee, did not go through the NEC.
“So, I think if it did go through all these statutory structures then there is a very slim chance, unless out of the willingness of five us we decide to sit down and produce a process that will throw up a consensus candidate”, he said.
Atiku revealed that he is already waiting for the Primaries as he is very experienced in Politics, he said: “I am really prepared for the primary because this is a game that I have participated in more than the others. In other words, I have been involved in primary election since the early 90s, and that has given me a lot of experience when it comes to primaries whether they are direct or indirect because we have participated in both types of primaries.
“The perception that the ticket is there for Buhari to take is a mistaken perception because Buhari has never participated in any primaries.
In the three elections he contested he was simply given the tickets. He did not go through any primaries. I believe that is not going to be helpful to him in this very case.
“As of today, among the five of us who are going to participate in the primaries I am the only one who is running around the country. Nobody else is doing that. Nowadays delegates have become more enlightened than before.
Most of them are very educated and most of them want to engage their candidates in discussions on what is it they have for them, for the electorate and for party. If they have not seen you, not to talk of interacting with you, how would they vote for you?
“Secondly, this is not a party that is dominated by the influence of governors. In other words, the governors trying to force delegates to vote even against their own conscience like it happens in the PDP. This is a party that wants to bring about change. And that really wants to allow people to make choices based on their own convictions.
“So I have seen in a few states where we have governors; where I was very well received, and I had access to all the delegates, to talk to them, interact with them, and also to listen to all their own problems, and I like it and enjoyed it because you get to know quite a lot of things. You think you know all the problems, but when get down the bottom-line and then you begin to listen to ordinary people who live ordinary lives and you find there is a lot you learn.
“I think all these experiences give me confidence that I have an edge over the rest of them. I know it is not easy. It is difficult. The physical terrain, going round the country is not good particularly, in terms of the road infrastructure, very bad roads. And you fly all over. I have never seen an election period so short like this one.
So, for you to be able to cover the entire country, you need to be flying, sometimes covering two or three states in a day. Thank God most of the states I have covered them. The only thing is that you cannot stay too late because when it is dark most of the airports don’t operate. Only few airports operate in the night in this country.”
When asked if he would throw his support behind Buhari if he loses the primaries, He revealed something astonishing:“I think I have proved that I am a pragmatic politician. Recall that in 2010 when I failed to get the PDP ticket against President Jonathan, I and others went to try to bring about an electoral alliance between the CPC and ACN.
“And even when Buhari eventually disappointed a group of us, myself, General Babangida, General
Aliyu Gusau and Mallam Adamu Ciroma, I still went out of my way to support Buhari even in CPC. So for me it is not a big deal. I think I’m a pragmatic politician and I don’t know of others.
What I know is that we have an understanding to support one another. I don’t know of the rest, but I can say of myself, I can support anyone that emerges”, the Turaki of Adamawa said.

Buhari has already contested twice for the Presidential position and lost both times.
Buhari, Atiku , Rochas Okorocha and Nda Isaiah and Tambuwal are the notable names trying to lead APC’s flagship.