Anti-foreigner violence escalates in S. Africa
Mobs armed with knives, clubs and jugs of petrol torched shacks and beat migrant workers on Monday in anti-foreigner violence in Johannesburg.
Tuesday, 20.05.2008.
10:49
Mobs armed with knives, clubs and jugs of petrol torched shacks and beat migrant workers on Monday in anti-foreigner violence in Johannesburg. The unrest has killed at least 22 people since last week and increased political instability at a time of electricity shortages, rising inflation and disaffection among the poor over President Thabo Mbeki's pro-business policies. Anti-foreigner violence escalates in S. Africa Police fired rubber bullets at rioters and police helicopters hovered overhead as officers rounded up suspects involved in some of the worst township violence since the end of apartheid. The attacks started in Alexandria township last week but have since spread across communities and the central business district in South Africa's biggest city, hitting townships in the east of the city on Monday. They have targeted mostly Zimbabweans and Mozambicans, the biggest groups among immigrants who are accused by the poor of taking jobs and fuelling the high rate of violent crime. Women have been raped, shops and homes looted and dozens of shacks burnt to the ground. Scores have been arrested. "This is a war," said Lucas Zimila, a 60-year-old Mozambican man who was attacked by a machete-wielding mob while sleeping in his shack in Tembisa, north of Johannesburg, on Sunday night. "They screamed at me to get out, that I didn't belong here. Then they burned everything in my house," said Zimila, who suffered a five-inch gash in his head. The unrest is an embarrassment for South Africa, which has vaunted its tolerance since the end of apartheid and hopes to encourage foreign visitors for the soccer World Cup in 2010. The violence is an indicator of anger among those who complain they have been left out by Mbeki's policies to promote business and investment. Investors are already worried by growing labor influence in the ruling ANC since Mbeki lost the leadership in December to rival Jacob Zuma. ANC Treasurer General Matthews Phosa called at the weekend for an early election, calling for strong leadership. Mbeki has to step down next year and Zuma is the frontrunner to succeed. Police evacuating foreign workers in Johannesburg (FoNet)
Anti-foreigner violence escalates in S. Africa
Police fired rubber bullets at rioters and police helicopters hovered overhead as officers rounded up suspects involved in some of the worst township violence since the end of apartheid.The attacks started in Alexandria township last week but have since spread across communities and the central business district in South Africa's biggest city, hitting townships in the east of the city on Monday.
They have targeted mostly Zimbabweans and Mozambicans, the biggest groups among immigrants who are accused by the poor of taking jobs and fuelling the high rate of violent crime.
Women have been raped, shops and homes looted and dozens of shacks burnt to the ground. Scores have been arrested.
"This is a war," said Lucas Zimila, a 60-year-old Mozambican man who was attacked by a machete-wielding mob while sleeping in his shack in Tembisa, north of Johannesburg, on Sunday night.
"They screamed at me to get out, that I didn't belong here. Then they burned everything in my house," said Zimila, who suffered a five-inch gash in his head.
The unrest is an embarrassment for South Africa, which has vaunted its tolerance since the end of apartheid and hopes to encourage foreign visitors for the soccer World Cup in 2010.
The violence is an indicator of anger among those who complain they have been left out by Mbeki's policies to promote business and investment. Investors are already worried by growing labor influence in the ruling ANC since Mbeki lost the leadership in December to rival Jacob Zuma.
ANC Treasurer General Matthews Phosa called at the weekend for an early election, calling for strong leadership. Mbeki has to step down next year and Zuma is the frontrunner to succeed.
1 Komentari
Možda vas zanima
Rat – dan 794: Uništeni su; Žestoke borbe; "Noćna mora" VIDEO
Rat u Ukrajini – 794. dan. Ukrajinski presednik Volodimir Zelenski izjavio je da je Ukrajini potrebno najmanje sedam PVO sistema Patriot i pozvao ukrajinske partnere da ne gube vreme kako bi se Rusiji uputio "odlučan signal".
23:30
27.4.2024.
23 h
Analiza: Zašto su Nemci i SAD odložili izjašnjavanje o Rezoluciji o Srebrenici
Glasanje o Rezoluciji o Srebrenici pred Generalnom skupštinom Ujedinjenih nacija, prvobito planirano za 2. maj, pomereno je za najmanje četiri dana, jer Zapad želi da dobije na vremenu kako bi prikupio dodatne glasove.
19:11
27.4.2024.
1 d
Rat – dan 793: Vazdušna opasnost u celoj Ukrajini; Stižu Rusi
Rat u Ukrajini – 793. dan. Juče su na frontu bila 93 borbena okršaja, najviše ruskih napada Oružane snage Ukrajine odbile su na pravcu Avdejevka, Bahmut, Liman i Novopavliv, saopštava Vojska Ukrajine.
23:42
26.4.2024.
1 d
Zapad zapretio, Kina uzvratila
Kina je usvojila zakon o carinama kojim želi da osnaži mehanizme odbrane svoje ekomonije nakon pretnji Sjedinjenih Američkih Država i Evropske unije da će reagovati na izvoz jeftinih kineskih proizvoda.
7:59
27.4.2024.
1 d
Srđan Đoković hitno primljen u Urgentni centar
Srđan Đoković, otac najboljeg tenisera sveta Novaka Đokovića, hitno je primljen u Urgentni centar, prenosi "Kurir".
14:30
28.4.2024.
8 h
Komentari 1
Pogledaj komentare