Immigrants, locals in Sekhukhune live in harmony

FOREIGN nationals residing in the xenophobic attack hotspot within Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality (GSDM) have been successfully re-integrated with the local people.

A posse of South Africans in Mohlaletsi – the residence of acting Bapedi king Kgoshikgolo KK Sekhukhune, conducted a reign of terror against immigrants at the same time when the malady of hatred was spreading like a veld fire in most parts of the country last month.

Consequently - more than 80 foreign nationals from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi were attacked and they sought refuge at Apel police station.

Like other immigrants else where in the country - they were robbed and had their properties plundered and set alight.

Greater Sekhukhune District (GSDM) executive mayor Cllr Namane Masemola, acting Limpopo premier Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Kgoshikgolo Sekhukhune intervened following the displacement of the nationals after local residents started attacking them.

They organised a ceremony aimed at integrating the immigrants with the South Africans, educate and spread awareness about the significance of co-existence between South Africans and foreign nationals in the country and create harmonious relations.

One of the affected foreign nationals, Freeman Nyanisi, was elated this week because no attack has happened in Mohlaletsi since the ceremony.

“Everything seems to fine. No one is intimidating us and police are visiting us regularly to check if we are safe,” Nyanisi said.

“We have re-occupied our houses and we are staying with those whose houses were burned,” he added.

Twenty-two (22) of the foreign nationals however decided to go back to their countries of birth because their passports were about to expire.

Masemola has strongly condemned the actions of these individuals and said xenophobic attacks were a crime against humanity.

“It becomes extremely important for us as South Africans to abhor the unjustifiable, naïve, and abominable actions that we see. These deeds are reprehensible and totally unacceptable because they are completely at variance with the spirit of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) – now the African Union,” Masemola said.

“Xenophobia – in all its forms – is the crime against humanity. It stands in direct contrast with all the morals and values that we stand for as a country and urge our people to refrain from violent attacks on our African brothers and sisters. These fellow Africans must find comfort among us. We must never forget that they provided unconditional support and refuge to us during the dark days of apartheid,” he added.

Till next week.