Tanzania condemns S. Africa violence, moves to bring back its nationals

The Tanzanian government on Monday condemned the xenophobic violence in South Africa which has displaced thousands of foreigners from African countries, including Tanzania.

Bernard Membe, the East African nation's Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, told a news conference that the government was in the process of bringing back its 21 nationals trapped in South Africa.

He said the 21 nationals were now living in camps created to protect them from the violence.

"Today (Monday) I held talks with South African High Commissioner to Tanzania Thamsanqa Dennis Mseleku and expressed my government's disappointment over the violence," said Membe.

He said Tanzania supported the Chairman of the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe who has condemned the xenophobic violence.

Membe appealed to the South African envoy to ensure that Tanzanians living in South Africa were in safe hands.

"Reports we are getting from South Africa say no Tanzanian has been killed in the xenophobic violence but three Tanzanians have been killed in incidents which are not related to the violence," said the minister.

He said the Tanzanian government did not know the exact number of Tanzanians living in South Africa because most of them migrated to Africa's economic power house using illegal means.

However, reports from South Africa indicated that there were over 10,000 Tanzanians living in Durban and Johannesburg.

Tanzanians who were caught up in the xenophobic violence in South Africa on Friday spoke of their shocking experience of fleeing blood-thirsty mobs hell bent on attacking foreigners.

Locals and African immigrants in South Africa often compete for scarce jobs, making the foreigners a target for violence and intimidation.

In 2008, over 60 people were killed in similar violence in Johannesburg townships. South Africa was accused of betraying its human rights ideals and African nations that aided it in the fight against apartheid.

The violence is embarrassing for the ruling African National Congress, whose members sought refuge in countries on the continent before white-minority rule ended in 1994. Endi