Govt & law enforcement must take to lead in cooling anti-foreigner sentiment, says Consortium for Refugees
Police visibility has increased in Diepsloot following the death of a
man in a mob attack amid tensions between locals and foreign nations residing
in the area.
Elvis Nyathi was set alight by an angry mob searching for illegal foreign nationals in the community on Wednesday night.
Thifulufheli Sinthumule, director at Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, says they condemn the incident against Nyathi.
“Firstly, we would like to send our heartfelt condolences to the family of Nyathi on the passing of their family member.”
“We strongly condemn what happened and what is taking place and we are urging communities to not take the law into their own hands and take the lives of people in the name of documentation.”
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Sinthumule says the issue of crime cannot be solved based on nationality or the documentation status of a person and where they come from.
“With what is happening in Diepsloot (tensions) will increase or decrease solely depend on the intervention from law enforcement agencies and our political leaders.
“If they engage the issue very strictly and use the rule of law and discourage people from taking the law into their own hands, then the situation will decrease.
“But if not, we will see this emerging in other communities because they will think it’s the right thing to do if law enforcement does not hold those who are responsible to account.”
Meanwhile police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says no arrest have been made in connection with Nyathi’s murder.
“In terms of the arrest of the four people that died between 30th of March and 4th of April we haven’t made any arrests. Together with killing Nyati there are no arrests made.”
