Zanu-PF warns SA over xenophobia

Zanu-PF has warned South Africa that the current xenophobic attacks rocking the neighbouring country were a serious security threat to the region as they undermined unity and peace efforts by Southern African leaders.

This came amid growing calls for the South African government to act decisively in the spirit of African solidarity or risk being alienated from the regional groupings, Sadc and African Union (AU) for being complicit in the killings of foreigners, most of them economic and political refugees.

President Robert Mugabe chairs both Sadc and the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

Millions of foreigners were in danger with at least nine, among them two Zimbabweans, having been killed in the attacks in the neighbouring country in the last few days.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the xenophobic attacks should be stopped forthwith.

This barbarism must stop immediately otherwise the clarion call for unity in Sadc and the continent as a whole will be hollow, Khaya Moyo said. He said among deals signed by Zimbabwe and South Africa during Mugabe's State visit to South Africa last week, none was signed to promote xenophobia.

Political analyst Charles Mangongera said South Africa must be taken to task by regional bodies if there was evidence of failure to address the xenophobic attacks.