South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told officials and business leaders today that he is committed to quelling attacks on foreigners that have threatened to cast a cloud over the ongoing World Economic Forum aimed at boosting intra-African trade.
Police have arrested almost 300 people and confirmed several deaths after riots in Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria in recent days, when roving groups attacked shops mainly owned by migrants from the rest of Africa.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Malawi’s Peter Mutharika pulled out of the World Economic Forum at the last minute, prompting speculation in South African media that the no-shows were linked to the attacks on foreigners.
Zimbabwe’s foreign minister said the attacks were “unfortunate”. Hundreds of University of Zambia students dressed mostly in black and chanting “No Violence” protested outside the South African High Commission against the attacks on foreigners today.
On Tuesday, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) called off the country’s friendly soccer international against South Africa in Lusaka on Saturday, citing “prevailing security concerns in South Africa”.
It would be recalled that some 60 people were killed in a wave of attacks around the country directed against foreigners in 2008. Another outbreak of violence killed at least seven people in 2015.
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