International relations analyst, Dr. Ishmael Norman has slammed authorities in South Africa for failing to ‘crack the whip’ on their nationals engaged in xenophobic attacks.
Speaking to Star News, Dr. Norman called for decisive action to nip the act in the bud.
He noted that while South Africa faces issues like unemployment and a lack of skills, these do not justify attacks on migrants—especially those who are documented and running established businesses.
”We must begin to accept our own people first before any other people. And so yes, South Africa has an issue; they have an issue of unemployment, they have an issue of a generation that, as a result of apartheid, may not have the necessary skills and so on and so forth, and African migrants tend to take jobs that they themselves will not do at a certain price. But these are now migrants who are actually establishing businesses,” he said.
Dr Norman further expressed disbelief in the continuous attacks on migrants insisting that the native South Africans should rather direct their anger to their government.
“You can not go on that tangent and be attacking anybody you see on the street. If the person has valid papers, you should not attack such people. If you have any anger, you direct it at your state,” he said.
The international relations analyst further demanded the prosecution of South Africans who participate in the xenophobic attacks to serve as deterrence to others.
“If they don’t prosecute these people, if they don’t apply their own laws to these people, this is a criminal offence and should be treated as such. If we treat it as one of those political things, then you embolden them to continue to do what they are doing,” he said.
Videos that have surfaced on social media have shown South Africans attacking and looting the properties of foreign nationals in the country for taking over jobs and rendering natives jobless.
Another group of attackers have also been visiting hospitals and driving away foreigners who have gone there for treatment.
These attacks have been widely condemned, with some states summoning South African envoys in their countries for questioning.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
