Report to the African Union Summit by President Jacob Zuma on the South African Government's response to the attacks on some foreign nationals in some parts of South Africa

14 June 2015

Your Excellency, President Robert Mugabe, Chair of the AU
Chairperson of the AU Commission
Your Excellencies,

I appreciate the opportunity to provide a report on the response of our government to the recent tragic incident of attacks on some African and foreign nationals in parts of Durban and Johannesburg in our country in April this year.

Let me reiterate our condemnation as the government and the people of South Africa, of the shameful and violent attacks which took the lives of seven people. This figure includes three South Africans.

Excellencies,

As South Africa we take our obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights very seriously.

South Africa is also a signatory to various international obligations that protect foreign nationals and refugees, including the Geneva Protocol on Refugees.

The Constitution of our country protects the rights of all people living within the country, South Africans and foreign nationals alike.

South Africans expressed their horror and condemnation through various actions including peace marches and media campaigns to promote peaceful coexistence and tolerance.

We trust that this commendable stance by the South African people in their thousands, shattered the stereotype that South Africans are intolerant, specifically against fellow Africans or that South Africans are xenophobic. South Africans are not xenophobic. We do not believe that the actions of a few out of more than 50 million citizens justify the label of xenophobia.

It should be recalled too, that South Africa has been home to African nationals for decades, even during the period of apartheid. They have lived with their brothers and sisters in townships and villages of this country without any problems.

South Africa continues to be a multicultural society that welcomes and promotes interaction among people of different backgrounds.

It is not surprising therefore, that the majority of those who had been displaced by the violence have returned to the communities they lived in and they have been accepted back.

We have repeated the message to our people that there can be no justification for the attacks, regardless of the grievances that have been expressed by some South Africans.

Some of the issues raised have related to an increase in the number of illegal and undocumented immigrants, illegal trading, allegations of crime as well as competition for jobs and social services.

These are matters that are of concern to us as government and action is being taken to strengthen controls so that we minimise any possible causes of tensions between citizens and foreign nationals from the continent and beyond.

The recent outbreak of violence necessitated more comprehensive action from all of us to ensure that there is no recurrence.

In the long term, we have to address the underlying causes of the violence and tensions, which is the legacy of poverty, unemployment and inequality in our country and our continent and the competition for limited resources.

Our actions have gone beyond condemnations. As such, we have taken critical interventions to bring an end to attacks and to look for a lasting solution.

Our immediate response to the outbreak of the violence was the establishment of the National Joint Operational centre (NATJOC) to coordinate the government-wide response to the situation;

An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) was established to deal with all relevant issues including immigration, social issues, law enforcement and humanitarian support. This committee continues its work of coordinating government's response;

Shelters were set-up to accommodate displaced foreign and African nationals and basic amenities such as water, sanitation, and healthcare were provided. The Government is working closely with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF as well as non-governmental organisations to provide food, psycho-social and other support to those affected.

As said, the majority have returned to their communities and have been accepted back. Those who wished to return to countries of origin were also assisted;

Our law enforcement agencies have acted decisively and those who are involved in acts of violence were arrested and charged and investigations are continuing.

We held meetings with organisations representing foreign and African nationals in South Africa and also convened a stakeholder engagement meeting on Migration in the quest for solutions.

These were very informative and constructive meetings and there shall be ongoing discussions in the quest for solutions.

Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Premiers held consultative meetings with communities nationwide to hear their concerns and views. We also held a series of consultative meetings with Ambassadors and High Commissioners from African countries accredited to South Africa.

The South African Parliament went into recess to enable Members to visit constituencies. Parliament has also established an ad hoc committee that is looking into the challenges of migration.

We held a highly successful Africa month programme in May 2015 nationwide promoting our African identity, unity and peaceful coexistence.

Colourful and educational events were held around the country and were attended by both citizens and nationals from other sister countries in the continent supported by massive media campaigns.

To further promote our African identity, children in all schools are learning to sing the AU anthem. The AU flag will also be flown in all government buildings. We have urged the private sector to also fly the AU flag alongside the South African flag.

We have a responsibility to protect all in our country and to rid South Africa of crime.

We have thus launched a successful anti-crime campaign, Operation Fiela, focusing on drug and human trafficking, the hijacking, illegal firearms and other serious crimes. Through the operation we have scored successes.

Our police, supported by the army, have recovered illegal firearms. They have rescued children who have been victims of trafficking and have also pounced on drug making dens.

It must be emphasised that Operation Fiela targets all who are involved in crime and in fact, the majority of those arrested thus far are South Africans.

Rumours that Fiela is an anti-foreign national campaign are not true. We are fighting crime to protect all in our country, citizens and nationals of other countries.

To find long term solutions, we will develop and release a new International Migration Green Paper, for public comment in early 2016.

The new policy will take into account the recent experiences and ensure that no loopholes create conditions for a possible outbreak of violence.

Your Excellencies

In the long term, the implementation of our socio-economic development programmes is designed to change the quality of life of our people will go a long way to lessen the frustrations.

We will not win this war working alone. We need to work together within the AU to respond to the challenge of migration, whether in SADC or in the North where the crisis in the Mediterranean Sea continues.

It is our firm belief that the efforts of the African Union as captured in the Agenda 2063, will galvanise our efforts our collective efforts towards a better and integrated Africa.

The promotion of intra-Africa trade, regional integration, infrastructure and other economic interventions designed to improve the economic situation in our respective countries be accelerated.

This very summit takes us a step further towards the goal of socio-economic growth and development in our continent.

Your Excellencies;

South Africa remains committed to the mission of building a united African continent that is peaceful, democratic and prosperous and which contributes to a world that is just and equitable.

South Africa pursues this vision, informed by the values of Ubuntu (Humanity) and Pan-Africanism.

Furthermore, the lodestar document of our liberation struggle the Freedom Charter, noted in its vision for a future South Africa that there shall be peace and friendship in our relations with sister countries in the continent and beyond.

We will be marking 60 years of the Freedom Charter on June 26 and will be celebrating these values that made us who we are, a nation that respects peace, human rights, justice and human dignity.

Your Excellencies,

Let me take this opportunity to thank member states of the AU for support and encouragement. We are one people. We face one destiny.

Working together we will find solutions to the challenges that face our continent, including migration.

God Bless Africa.

I thank you.

Issued by The Presidency, June 14 2015