South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has told the BBC that he feels ashamed over the recent outbreak of xenophobic violence in the country.
Mobs attacked foreign-owned shops and other businesses in the commercial capital, Johannesburg, as well as other cities. The trouble began just over a fortnight ago and lasted for several days. Twelve people were killed in the violence, 10 of whom were South Africans, officials said.
In an impromptu interview, the BBC’s Milton Nkosi asked the president if he felt ashamed by the violence. “Yes. We are very concerned and of course as a nation we would be ashamed because this goes against the ethos of what South Africa stands for,” he responded.
“ We were welcomed in various other countries in the world, when we were struggling against apartheid and we cannot therefore be against people from other nations at this point in time when they helped us so much.
We were welcomed in various other countries in the world, when we were struggling against apartheid and we cannot therefore be against people from other nations at this point in time when they helped us so much.
“ So this is un-South African and it has a criminal element to it and we are addressing it.
So this is un-South African and it has a criminal element to it and we are addressing it. And what is pleasing is that our people as a whole are very clear that we are not against foreign nationals we always welcome them we want to live side by side with the, we want to get over this and we want them, yes, to run their businesses. Yes to live here with us.
“And what is pleasing is that our people as a whole are very clear that we are not against foreign nationals we always welcome them we want to live side by side with the, we want to get over this and we want them, yes, to run their businesses. Yes to live here with us.
We obviously want everyone who is here to obey the laws of our country.”
Ramaphosa spoke to the BBC shortly before he sent a team of envoys to visit seven African countries to emphasise that South Africans believes in pan-African values.