South Africa has been reminded of the support it received from other African nations during the anti-apartheid campaign as xenophobia, acrophobia attacks take centre stage in the country.
The opposition, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), condemned the attacks of Africans by Africans saying the countries are in a way related since they help each other in times of struggle.
“South Africa is reminded of the support it received from across Africa during the anti-Apartheid struggle. It received immense moral and material support from many African countries who provided training camps for the uMkonto weSizwe cadres, financial support and moral solidarity,” said Gladys Hlatywayo, the party’s International Relations Committee chairperson.
This comes after foreign Africans are under attack in South Africa with the aim of chasing them out of the country, as many people from other African nations have fled their homes to South Africa in search of greener pastures.
The MDC international Relations chair also said that African countries took the lead in mobilizing for the isolation of the Apartheid regime. Countries like Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia, Botswana and Angola paid heavy prices for supporting the anti-apartheid movement including the frequent bombing and destruction of their infrastructure, urging the South African government to act on the ongoing brutal attacks, respect the sanctity of human life and protect fellow Africans.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF aligned deputy minister of information, Energy Mutodi said at least three million of South Africans are being accommodated in Zimbabwe but no inhuman attack has reported since they migrated with Mzilikazi.
“No need for xenophobia. Zimbabwe & South Africa are one country. We trade at least $2bn with South Africa annually & if we withheld the business SA would feel the pain.
“We have about three million South Africans who migrated to Zimbabwe from South Africa and we have so many Zimbabweans in South Africa, we want them to be safe and feel at home as well,” he said.
However, the MDC is saying more than three million Zimbabweans have migrated to South Africa owing to a political crisis in Zimbabwe that has resulted in a worsening socio-economic situation, calling up on SADC and particularly South Africa to intervene in the Zimbabwean political crisis in order to find a lasting solution that will get the country back on the path to democratic consolidation and economic recovery.
