The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed concern and condemned the violent attacks on foreign migrants in South Africa and further disclosed in a report that more than 5,000 foreigners, mostly Africans who are seeking asylum there have been displaced by the violence.
As more casualties emerge from the attacks that are rife in Durban and Johannesburg, Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe who is the current Chairperson of the African Union has vehemently condemned the attacks.
Speaking on Saturday, April 18, 2015 also as the Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community, he said, "I would want now to express our sense of shock, disgust, as we abhor the incidences which happened in Durban," BBC quoted him saying. Thousands of foreigners have fled their homes to shelter in makeshift camps.
Neighbouring Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique have announced plans to evacuate citizens, BBC reported. In response to the continuous violent attacks, South African President Jacob Zuma has vowed to end the violent attacks.
President Zuma who visited the refugee camp in the Chatsworth area of Durban hosting the affected foreigners, after cancelling a trip to Indonesia on April 18, said in a televised speech: "We are certainly going to stop the violence," BBC reported. He is further quoted as saying that "These attacks go against everything we believe in.
The majority of South Africans love peace and good relations with their brothers and sisters on the continent." At least six people have died in xenophobic attacks in Durban, with violence spreading to other areas.
Last Saturday, small groups attacked shops in several areas around Johannesburg and Police used rubber bullets to disperse looters in Alexandra, a township north of the city, with more than 30 people arrested, reports say.
