News / Africa
Renewed xenophobic threats in SA
15 May 2013 at 03:01hrs | Views
THE community of Tshiombo in Thohoyandou in Limpopo Province, South Africa, has launched renewed threats of attacks on Zimbabweans living in the village.
The latest development follows the murder of a 21-year-old local woman and an attack on her mother allegedly by a Zimbabwean man last year on Christmas Day.
The murdered woman, Ms Phuluso Kharivhe, was attacked while walking home with her mother, Christina Kharivhe.
The suspect, a Zimbabwean, allegedly struck the woman with a stone on the head and stabbed her daughter with a knife leaving her bleeding profusely. She died on admission to the hospital.
The suspect has since been arrested.
The villagers first threatened to attack Zimbabweans in January but the local traditional leader, Chief Ratshilumela Tovhowani Mathoho, intervened.
"The local community is accusing Zimbabweans of committing crimes in the area. They approached me in January intending to attack Zimbabweans and I stopped them. They had actually made it clear that they wanted all Zimbabweans evicted from the area failure of which they would launch attacks on them," he said.
Chief Mathobo described the new threats as unacceptable and inhuman.
"I am getting reports of fresh threats by villagers who are saying they want to attack foreigners, which is unacceptable. Last week, I convened a meeting at my kraal over the issue and I have notified police who are now handling it," he said.
South African police spokesperson for Mutale, Captain Tshilidzi Nyambeni said no arrests have been made.
"We got a report that some villagers are threatening foreigners, but however, no arrests have been made because no one was attacked. We are, however, on alert and we continue to urge people to desist from violence as the law will take its course," he said.
Several Zimbabweans living in South Africa have in the past fallen victim to xenophobic attacks at the hands of locals.
In June 2011, a Zimbabwean man, Mr Godfrey Sibanda, was cornered by a mob and stoned to death in Extension 75 of Seshego Township, northwest of Polokwane, while walking home from work.
The fracas also resulted in scores of Zimbabweans fleeing their homes.
In May 2008, 62 people among them Zimbabweans were left dead and more than 100 000 displaced and property worth millions of rand looted or destroyed during xenophobic attacks on foreigners, which started in Alexandra Township in Johannesburg before spreading to other parts of the neighbouring country.
The latest development follows the murder of a 21-year-old local woman and an attack on her mother allegedly by a Zimbabwean man last year on Christmas Day.
The murdered woman, Ms Phuluso Kharivhe, was attacked while walking home with her mother, Christina Kharivhe.
The suspect, a Zimbabwean, allegedly struck the woman with a stone on the head and stabbed her daughter with a knife leaving her bleeding profusely. She died on admission to the hospital.
The suspect has since been arrested.
The villagers first threatened to attack Zimbabweans in January but the local traditional leader, Chief Ratshilumela Tovhowani Mathoho, intervened.
"The local community is accusing Zimbabweans of committing crimes in the area. They approached me in January intending to attack Zimbabweans and I stopped them. They had actually made it clear that they wanted all Zimbabweans evicted from the area failure of which they would launch attacks on them," he said.
Chief Mathobo described the new threats as unacceptable and inhuman.
"I am getting reports of fresh threats by villagers who are saying they want to attack foreigners, which is unacceptable. Last week, I convened a meeting at my kraal over the issue and I have notified police who are now handling it," he said.
South African police spokesperson for Mutale, Captain Tshilidzi Nyambeni said no arrests have been made.
"We got a report that some villagers are threatening foreigners, but however, no arrests have been made because no one was attacked. We are, however, on alert and we continue to urge people to desist from violence as the law will take its course," he said.
Several Zimbabweans living in South Africa have in the past fallen victim to xenophobic attacks at the hands of locals.
In June 2011, a Zimbabwean man, Mr Godfrey Sibanda, was cornered by a mob and stoned to death in Extension 75 of Seshego Township, northwest of Polokwane, while walking home from work.
The fracas also resulted in scores of Zimbabweans fleeing their homes.
In May 2008, 62 people among them Zimbabweans were left dead and more than 100 000 displaced and property worth millions of rand looted or destroyed during xenophobic attacks on foreigners, which started in Alexandra Township in Johannesburg before spreading to other parts of the neighbouring country.
Source - chronicle
