Xenophobic attacks cannot be tolerated: Kathrada Foundation
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is calling on leaders from all sectors of society to speak out against the recent spate of violence against foreign nationals.
The Foundation released a statement asking community leaders to rally their constituencies against the anti-foreigner sentiment.
"We are concerned over the attacks that have occurred in the Tshwane and Johannesburg South regions, as well as the overt expressions of xenophobic sentiment," the Foundation says.
Foundation Director, Neeshan Balton, says it is "deeply worrying" that a march against foreigners was being organised in the Pretoria CBD.
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They have joined the call by Lawyers for Human Rights to boycott the march and says that community leaders must "do whatever is possible" to quell the "outpouring" of xenophobic sentiment.
The foundation also urged government to employ all efforts to curb violence, including heightening police presence in xenophobia hotspots."
"It is nothing short of a tragedy that South Africa has failed, since 2008, to deal with xenophobia decisively. Thus far, we have addressed the issue reactively. It has become almost normal to have foreign owned shops periodically looted, and for physical violence to be meted out against foreign nationals before measures are put in place," the foundation says.