HUNDREDS LEAVE SOUTH AFRICA AFTER ANTI-IMMI VIOLENCE
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Worried about
their safety, hundreds of African immigrants
headed out of South Africa in buses on Monday
following deadly attacks on foreign-owned shops.
South Africa’s anti-immigrant attacks have
angered many across the continent. South African
diplomats in at least two other African countries
reported threats of reprisal attacks because of the
violence at home. The outbreak of violence in
South Africa against immigrants has tarnished the
reputation of a country that has one of the biggest
economies on the continent and has been a
destination for people seeking opportunity and an
escape from turbulence elsewhere in Africa. (A)
South Africa was also dubbed the “rainbow nation”
for its relatively peaceful transition to democracy
after the end of white racist rule in 1994.
Now the government is struggling to contain
negative fallout from attacks on immigrants in
some areas of Durban and Johannesburg that killed
seven people since the end of March. Activists in
some African countries organized protests and
called for a boycott of South African goods, as
South Africa is a powerful trading partner in the
region. (B)
The South African government should be
“less reactive and more proactive” in dealing with
tensions over immigrants and the country should
“be a bit more humble” about its aspirations as a
continental leader, said Prof. Chris Landsberg, an
African diplomacy and foreign policy expert at the
University of Johannesburg. “We are in denial,”
Landsberg said.
President Jacob Zuma postponed a ceremony
in which the country’s highest official honor is
bestowed on South Africans and foreigners who
have contributed to South Africa, his office said.
The event will be postponed so South Africa can
mourn the victims of the anti-immigrant violence,
including three South Africans and four foreigners,
it was said.
In Malawi, Information Minister Kondwani
Nankhumwa said six buses carrying 390
Malawians from Durban were heading to Malawi.
Isaac Moyo, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South
Africa said about 400 Zimbabweans were also
heading home from South Africa.
Louis Lulu Mnguni, South Africa’s top
diplomat in Nigeria, said his Lagos mission has
warned South African citizens in Nigeria “to
exercise vigilance and limit their movements”
following threats of reprisal attacks. (C)
The attacks in South Africa stem from a
perception that immigrants, many from other
African countries, are taking jobs at the expense of
South Africans in a country with high
unemployment. Many people have entered South
Africa illegally, though the government has said a
large number of immigrants are working legally
and contributing to economic development.
The violence recalls similar unrest in South
Africa in 2008 in which 60 people died. (D) In
January this year, four people died during looting of
foreign-owned shops in areas of Johannesburg.
The violence is particularly unfortunate
because other African nations provided shelter and
other aid to South African activists during the battle
against white minority rule, said Xingwana, the
South African diplomat in Ghana. (E) “The young
people have forgotten the contribution of African
countries to South Africa’s fight against Apartheid
and need to be educated on this”, she said.
Adapted from: Hundreds Leave South Africa After Anti-immigrant Violence. Available at: <http://www.apnewsarchive.com/2015/ Hundreds-of-immigrants-leave-South-Africa-inb u s e s - a f t e r- d e a d l y - a t t a c k s - o n - f o r e i g n - o w n e d - s h o p s / i d - 2 5 2 4 1 6 0 2 2 9 c b 4 0 0 cadf2ec02ce14b934>. Accessed on April 20th, 2015.
Where in the passage does the author provide a term for revenge?
