There are concerns of a xenophobia related attack in South Africa. Local media outlets reported on Monday that two foreigners sustained injuries after attackers raided and burned shops in the city of Durban, South Africa.
The attacks, according to the media, are believed to be youth associated with the armed wing of the former armed wing of the African National Congress. The group is known as the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association.
“It has been alleged that young MKMVA members attacked and assaulted foreign vendors, petrol bombed some of their shops on Monday morning,” Durban Metro police spokesperson Zama Dlamini is quoted as saying.
The country’s Human Rights Commission reported that it was due to meet those involved in the violence on Tuesday whiles expressing fears that it could trigger more widespread attacks.
“The Commission remains concerned and extremely disturbed by these xenophobic acts which serve only to heighten and exacerbate the existing racial, social and ethnic tensions in the city…” SAHRC said in a statement.
“The SAHRC reminds all citizens, residents and other persons in the Republic that such acts are unlawful and unfairly discriminatory and that they are motivated by incorrect beliefs that others have no human rights based on their social origins.
“The Commission once again calls on all within South Africa to respect, protect and promote the rights of all within South Africa as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, in particular, treat all within South Africa with equality and human dignity,” the statement added.
Over the years, deadly xenophobic attacks have been pervasive in the southern African country that is Africa’s most industrialized nation. Analysts have held that the economic imbalance in the country was at the heart of these attacks.
