SA political parties fight over xenophobic victims' welfare

THREATS AND COUNTER threats have reportedly been issued by the ruling party African National Congress (ANC) to the victims of xenophobic attacks in South Africa who are kept at Isipingo in Durban after they accepted donations brought by the Julius Malema led Economic Freedom Party(EFP).

The developments follows the wave of xenophobic attacks which gripped South Africa as from three weeks ago which led to about seven foreigners being killed.

Foreign nationals in a camp for displaced people in Isipingo in Durban have told South African News agency Eyewitness News (EWN) that they were petrified after being threatened by social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini.

Three weeks ago xenophobic violence flared up in KwaZulu-Natal then spread to Gauteng.

At least seven people have been killed in the violence.

The EFF visited the camp to hand out blankets and mattresses.

But residents told the officials that an angry minister then turned on them even told EWN to leave the area.

Several refugees reported being threatened by Dlamini for accepting donations from the EFF.

"She said to me 'oh you are supporting Malema? That is a problem,'" said one refugee.

The threats came a day after a camp resident was brutalised allegedly by the police.

Now fearful, a man said  he's begging for intervention from the United Nations commissioner for Refugees.

"We need the UN to come and help us please. We are in danger and we are not safe here anymore," he said.

A furious Dlamini also told EWN that no photographs would be allowed during her visit.
An asylum seeker is also reportedly recovering in hospital after he was injured in an apparent scuffle between police and foreigners at a displacement camp in Isipingo.

The altercation was apparently sparked by an attempt by authorities to take down some of the tents housing people who have been displaced in recent flare ups of xenophobic violence.

Burundian asylum seeker Juma Saidi apparently lost consciousness after he was hit on the head with a pistol after an altercation with police members, when authorities tried to take down several tents.

The residents say when they protested, police became heavy-handed.

Friends of Saidi say he is in a coma, and they do not know whether he will survive, while other fearful residents appear traumatised and shocked and say they do not know who to trust.

Zimbabwe has since sent buses to transport its citizens back home where on arrival most of them expressed horrible experiences at the hands of South Africans during the attacks.