The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat has condemned in the strongest terms, the incidents of violence against nationals of fellow African countries in South Africa, including the looting and destruction of their property, the continental body said in a statement on Tuesday.
Mahamat said he is encouraged by arrests already made by the South African authorities in relation to the violence.
The chairperson’s remark came after xenophobic attacks flared up again at the weekend, leaving at least one person dead in a rampage of shop-looting and the burning of cars in dealers’ shops in Johannesburg and surrounding townships, the police said on Monday.
The chairperson called for further steps to protect the lives of people and their property, ensure that all perpetrators are brought to account for their acts, and that justice be done to those who suffered economic and other losses.
The Chairperson reiterated the Commission’s continued commitment to supporting the South African government in addressing the root causes that led to ‘these despicable acts’, in order to promote peace and stability, within the framework of AU’s longstanding principles of continental solidarity.
According to the police, an investigation was underway to determine who shot the unidentified man in the head during violence in Johannesburg’s central business district of Hillbrow.
In its efforts to ramp up the fight against racism, xenophobia and discrimination in South Africa, the government last March launched a tool to assist it in combating these social ills.
MG/as/APA