Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has cancelled his state visit to Indonesia in order to attend to matters relating to attacks on foreign nationals.
President Zuma was due to leave for Indonesia this evening for a state visit and to attend the Africa-Asia Summit and the commemoration of the 1955 Bandung summit, which brought together Africa and Asia to push forward the struggle for liberation and self-determination.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will instead go to Indonesia.
The President will this coming week lead a stakeholder outreach programme to address attacks on foreign nationals. The President will visit displaced foreign nationals in Chatsworth, Durban, at 4pm.
Ministers and their deputies will also engage South Africans and stakeholders in an imbizo and stakeholder programme leading up to Freedom Day on 27 April.
The meetings will focus on strengthening the existing support for peace and peaceful co-existence among all peace loving South Africans, while also listening to concerns being raised by communities.
The President has condemned the attacks on foreign nationals and urged the police to continue working around the clock to protect communities and bring perpetrators to book.
The President has thanked the South African public and media for coming out against xenophobia and the attacks on foreign nationals in various parts of the country in many campaigns.
He also thanked the international community, including the African Union and the United Nations, for support during this difficult period in the country.
"We reiterate our message that there can be no justification for the attacks on foreign nationals. These attacks go against everything we believe in.
“The majority of South Africans love peace and good relations with their brothers and sisters in the continent. We will engage stakeholders next week as we need all leaders to work together to bring the situation to normality. Working together, we will be able to overcome this challenge,'' said the President.
Embassy extends condolences to victims’ families
The South African Embassy to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has extended its condolences to the families of all those who have lost their lives due to violent attacks directed at foreign nationals.
The embassy has also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
“During the past week, we have witnessed shocking and unacceptable incidents of violence directed at foreign nationals in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal, which have now spread to some parts of Gauteng. Similar incidents had taken place in Soweto in January.
“We wish to extend our condolences to the families of all who have lost their lives and wish the injured a speedy recovery. No amount of frustration or anger can ever justify the attacks on foreign nationals and the looting of their shops.
“We condemn the violence in the strongest possible terms. The attacks violate all the values that South Africa embodies, especially the respect for human life, human rights, human dignity and ubuntu,” the embassy said in a statement.
The embassy said South Africa will continue to play its role and fulfil its responsibilities and obligations as a member of the African Union family.
It urged for the responsible use of social media during this difficult time.
“We wish to also urge those who use social media to refrain from fanning the flames of violence on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms. We all have a responsibility to promote social cohesion, peaceful co-existence and good relations on the continent,” it said. – SAnews.gov.za
