City council responds to xenophobia
SANDTON - Following about two weeks of horrific violence against foreign nationals in northern Johannesburg, the City of Johannesburg invited numerous stakeholders to a Disaster Management Advisory Forum meeting on 23 April to discuss the issue of xenophobia.
The special meeting was hosted at the Sandton Fire Station and was attended by representatives from numerous government agencies and non-profit organisations to discuss the effects and possible solutions surrounding xenophobic attacks.
Spokesperson for the department of social development Thuli Mlageni said the department has been working with numerous non-profit organisations such as Gift of the Givers and security forces, who are on the ground, to control the situation. She added that the department held a special meeting on 19 April to discuss the establishment of temporary housing for the victims of xenophobic attacks in various hotspots such as Jeppestown and Alexandra and have opened safety offices in these areas.
Mlangeni added that after the initial xenophobic attacks which occurred in 2008, the department has remained prepared if the issues appear again. She also said the City of Johannesburg would handle the funeral arrangement of Emmanuel Sithole, a Mozambican trader who was murdered in broad daylight on 18 April in Alexandra.
William Mazibuke of the City of Johannesburg’s disaster management centre said, “I think from our previous experience in 2008, we have developed an integrated approach in handling the situation with all the stakeholders such as police and social services.
The City of Johannesburg has also partnered with mobile service provider Vodacom, who created a specialised hotline for residents to report xenophobic attacks to the relevant services. Vodacom spokesperson Tshepo Ramodebe said the company is supporting law enforcement agencies and will explore different technologies to do their part. To use the Vodacom hotline, residents must dial *132*422#.
A representative from the MMC of public safety Sello Lemao’s office Thabang Ranwaga attended the event. Ranwaga said, “In 2008, we were caught by surprise when violence erupted against foreign nationals around the townships in Johannesburg, Cape Town and other cities in the country. Seven years later the same demon is upon us… We need to look at the root causes of these attacks and address the causes instead of dealing with the symptoms.”
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