A woman holds a cardboard while taking part in a “peace march” against xenophobia attended by thousands of people in Durban 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. . PHOTO | AFP
Dar es Salaam. Two Tanzanians living in South Africa have been killed in what has been linked with the ongoing xenophobic violence that rocked the country recently.
News of the deaths came as the minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Bernard Membe, announced from Oman that Tanzania had begun evacuating its nationals from Yemen that has been engulfed in a bloody war between government forces and rebels.
In South Africa, a representative of Tanzanians living in the country told The Citizen yesterday, that the two met their deaths in the anti-foreigners attacks that have left another five people from other countries dead and thousands displaced in the city of Durban.
Mr Bonka Kuseleka, a representative of the Tanzanians, named the deceased as Rashid Jumanne, a cigarette peddler who died on Tuesday in Stenga, a suburb in Durban and one Athumani alias China Mapepe, who died on Wednesday in the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.
According to Mr Kuseleka, Rashid was shot dead by unknown gunmen while peddling his merchandise while Athumani, a detainee at Westville correctional facility was stabbed to death by fellow inmates.
“As I speak to you now we are on a peaceful march with some locals in Durban to condemn these brutal killings but so far we have lost two Tanzanians here,” he told The Citizen by phone from Durban.
But in a quick rejoinder, Mr Elibahati Ngoyai Lowassa, Tanzania’s acting High Commissioner to South Africa said there was no official confirmation that the two died due to the ongoing attacks targeting foreigners.
Speaking to The Citizen from South Africa, Mr Lowassa, however, confirmed the deaths of the two Tanzanians.
According to the envoy, the High Commission was only aware of a shop belonging to a Tanzanian which was set ablaze in Durban during the chaos. Describing Rashid’s death, Mr Lowassa said he met his death after being shot at, following his suspected involvement in crime.
“What I know is that Rashid got killed through a different incident that has nothing to do with the ongoing xenophobic attacks,” maintained the diplomat.
As for Athumani, the acting High Commissioner said he was stabbed to death by fellow inmates inside the said correctional facility.
He, however, gave no details on the reasons behind Athumani’s imprisonment. But the Tanzanians who talked to The Citizen said they have information their compatriot was killed when fellow inmates confronted him over his nationality.
Mr Lowassa was categorical that his office was not planning to do any evacuation of its nationals as they were not in any danger. “Why should we undertake an evacuation when no Tanzanian has died of the attacks,” he queried.
Quoting reports from the South African government, the Tanzanian envoy told The Citizen that the attacks had so far claimed the life of one Zimbabwean, one South African and one Somali.
Newspaper reports separately reported yesterday that five people of different nationalities had been killed. South African President Mr Jacob Zuma was scheduled to address Parliament last evening over the blot that is portraying the country in the negative.
The lives of Mr Kuseleka and fellow Tanzanians eking out a living in Durban won’t be the same again, and according to him, they are now living in constant fear, unaware of their fate.
He also expressed his disappointment over what he referred to as ‘no response’ from representatives of the Tanzania High Commission, as far as the deaths of their compatriots were concerned.
“We haven’t heard a word from them, it is as if nothing has happened to us; the situation is very worrying and we’re appealing to the High Commission to come to our rescue,” said one Mr Bonka, a businessman based in Durban.
He and other Tanzanians living in this city were wondering how the High Commission was non-committal while countries of Malawi, Botswana and Zimbabwe had embarked on a mission of evacuating their nationals.
According to the website of The Guardian of South Africa, some South Africans accuse immigrants of taking jobs and opportunities away from them. The latest violence followed reported comments by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, an influential figure among the Zulu ethnic group, that foreigners should “pack their bags and leave.” The king has since appealed for an end to the unrest.
CREDIT: THE CITIZEN
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