News / Africa
Over 5 000 foreign nationals chose to leave South Africa
17 May 2015 at 13:35hrs | Views
A total of 5 645 foreign nationals have voluntarily left South Africa, government said on Sunday.
According to News24, Malawians formed the bulk of those who chose to leave the country, at 3 506 people.
The remainder were 1 440 Zimbabweans, 682 Mozambicans, and 17 Tanzanians. A total of 418 Mozambicans were also deported back to their home country.
"It has been just over a month since incidents of violence broke out in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng," government said.
"We are satisfied that we have stabilised the situation and further loss of life has been prevented. Security agencies continue to work around the clock to protect both foreign nationals and South African citizens against any attacks. We are maintaining law and order around the country."
Government believed the xenophobic violence had stopped because of the work it and civil society had done in mobilising communities to denounce the violence.
Since the established of the inter-ministerial committee on migration (IMC), government had launched Operation Fiela - Reclaim to address security problems a total of 3 914 people had been arrested around the country for various crimes including drug possession, human trafficking, and illegally possessing weapons and ammunition.
Of that total, 1 650 were illegal immigrants, and 2 264 were South African citizens.
According to News24, Malawians formed the bulk of those who chose to leave the country, at 3 506 people.
The remainder were 1 440 Zimbabweans, 682 Mozambicans, and 17 Tanzanians. A total of 418 Mozambicans were also deported back to their home country.
"It has been just over a month since incidents of violence broke out in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng," government said.
"We are satisfied that we have stabilised the situation and further loss of life has been prevented. Security agencies continue to work around the clock to protect both foreign nationals and South African citizens against any attacks. We are maintaining law and order around the country."
Government believed the xenophobic violence had stopped because of the work it and civil society had done in mobilising communities to denounce the violence.
Since the established of the inter-ministerial committee on migration (IMC), government had launched Operation Fiela - Reclaim to address security problems a total of 3 914 people had been arrested around the country for various crimes including drug possession, human trafficking, and illegally possessing weapons and ammunition.
Of that total, 1 650 were illegal immigrants, and 2 264 were South African citizens.
Source - news24
