By JOHN SAKALA
Former President of Inkata Freedom Party Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has warned that the current wave of attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa will economically disadvantage that country.
Mr Buthelezi, who is also Prince of the Zulu Speaking people of Kwa-Zulu Natal Province in South Africa said the attacks on foreign nationals was depressing.
He mentioned that the reaction by Zambia to withdraw its Football National Team from playing an international friendly game with his country’s football team was a sign that his country could be isolated from the rest of other countries.
Prince Buthelezi said there was an urgent need to bring the violent attacks against foreign nationals in that country to an immediate halt.
Speaking to South African Broadcasting Corporation News (SABC) and monitored by the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, Prince Buthelezi said South Africans need to co-exist with other nationals.
Prince Buthelezi’s comments come after his earlier attempt to address residents of Gauteng province in Johannesburg, where hundreds of people walked away from him.
He said he was depressed with the current situation in South Africa considering the fact that many African countries participated in the liberation struggle of South Africa.
He added that South Africa needed foreign nationals in order to benefit from economic and skills synergies.
He appealed to South Africans to immediately stop violent attacks against foreigners to avoid the economic collapse of the country.
A wave of fresh attacks against foreign nationals in Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD) erupted on Sunday afternoon forcing Police to isolate foreigners from their apartments.
This is according to the media statement by the First Secretary Press and Public Relations at the Zambian Embassy in South Africa Naomi Nyawali.
