The Most Revd Thabo Makgoba, Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, released the following statement about recent attacks against Malawians in the South African city of Alexandra. We reprint it here, because South Africans aren’t the only ones requiring a reminder.
Much of the appalling violence being inflicted by our people on foreigners in Alexandra and elsewhere is rooted in deep frustration arising from our failure to distribute the gains of economic growth in South Africa to all. But it is unacceptable for those who suffer poverty and deprivation to express their anger by attacking others who are also suffering from poverty and deprivation. Sadly, foreign people are labeled, abused and killed, but those from other countries who live among us are just as much our neighbours, whom we are commanded by Jesus to love as ourselves, as are South Africans. Foreign nationals are God’s people too.
Reuters has a fresh account of the violence in Alexandra.
The Times of South Africa reports,
Anglican archbishop Thabo Makgoba and other church leaders visited Alexandra today, in an effort to establish what caused the recent wave of xenophobic violence in the township.
Makgoba said he intended to make a stop at the Alexandra police station where displaced foreign nationals have been accommodated since the violence erupted on Sunday.
About 800 foreign nationals, mainly from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique were attacked after they were accused by local people of crime and stealing jobs.