S. Africa president condemns violence against foreigners

South African President Jacob Zuma on Sunday strongly condemned violence against foreign nationals as well as the destruction of property and the looting of shops in any part of the country.

"We reiterate that there can be no justification for attacking foreign nationals. Those who are in the country illegally should be reported to the police and they will be returned to their countries of origin in a lawful manner," Zuma said.

The president was speaking amid a new spate of violence in several black townships around Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province, where more than 100 foreign-owned shops were looted and hundreds of foreigners were forced to leave their homes.

He urged citizens to provide information to the police if they know of foreign nationals who are engaged in criminal activities.

"They (foreigners) should not be attacked. We wish to emphasize that police will also take action against all people who engage in violence, including foreign nationals as well if they attack citizens," said Zuma.

The president has assigned the Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko and State Security Minister David Mahlobo to work with the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government to arrest the violence that has broken out in some Durban residential areas, the Presidency said.

Zuma also said that all spheres of government have been directed to enforce laws and by-laws to curb the growth of illegal trading and unlicensed shops, which appears to be of concern to citizens throughout the country.

The police are working hard to arrest foreign nationals who engage in criminal activities and many of these arrests and convictions are announced publicly, Zuma said.

Zuma said the government is addressing the issues that are being raised by citizens nationally, in particular, complaints about illegal and undocumented migrants, the takeover of local shops and other businesses by foreign nationals as well as perceptions that foreign nationals perpetrate crime.

"Government also wishes to remind citizens that not all foreign nationals are living in South Africa illegally," he said. "Many foreign nationals have legal status and contribute meaningfully to the economy and the development of our country and also abide by the country's laws."

Zuma added that the government will continue to provide support to refugees and asylum seekers as required in terms of international law and the country's own Constitution which enshrines human rights and dignity.

The government is also introducing more measures to support small businesses so that shopkeepers and other small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in black residential areas that are under pressure can obtain assistance.

"We urge citizens to allow government to attend to these and other immigration challenges and to not take the law into their own hands," he said. Endi