South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday instructed Police Minister Bheki Cele to engage with culprits targeting African migrants in deadly violence that has engulfed Johannesburg and surrounding areas since Sunday.
Ramaphosa, in a video message posted on Twitter, said he would also meet ministers from the security cluster to “keep a close eye on what’s happening”, and to find ways to quell the violence in Gauteng Province – home to the capital city of Pretoria and Johannesburg, the country’s economic hub.
The president took to Twitter following social media users on Tuesday made the #DearMrPresident to trend, with many questioning his inaction and silence over the ongoing bloody violence and looting in the country.
He tweeted: “The people of our country want to live in harmony. Whatever concerns or grievances we may have, we need to handle them in a democratic way. There can be no justification for any South African to attack people from other countries.”
The attacks against the foreigners have seen shops looted, buildings vandalised and vehicles set alight – leaving five people dead with over 100 people arrested in the mayhem, according to police.
Ramaphosa described the attacks as “totally unacceptable. The attacks are completely against the rule of law and I would like to commend the police for stopping further violence,” he said.
The president said the security cluster would meet to find ways and means to completely quell the violence. “We are a country that is completely committed against xenophobia,” he added.
NM/jn/APA