NEPAD Agency Chief Executive Officer Dr Ibrahim Mayaki who is also Interim CEO of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Secretariat has strongly condemned the xenophobic violence in South Africa that has led to the deaths of foreign nationals in the past few weeks. Dr Mayaki has done so on the basis of the same principles that have been underscored by President Robert Mugabe, Chair of the African Union (AU) and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).

“The recent spate of violence, looting and attacks on foreign nationals is not only a violation for the respect of human rights, human life and human dignity, but also a betrayal of the core values and principles of pan-Africanism and Ubuntu,“ Dr Mayaki said. 

The CEO sent his deepest condolences to the families who have lost their beloved ones and urged all Africans to also stand in solidarity with those who have been injured or displaced.

As the African Union celebrates Africa Day on May 25 next month, Dr Mayaki reminded that it is only through unity of the continent and political and economic emancipation of our people that Africa will be united and at peace with itself.  “After having gone through four centuries of slavery and three hundred years of colonialism, no African should be the victim of another African anywhere in the continent. It is our common responsibility, with our South African sisters and brothers, to stand firm and united against the betrayal of the values that Madiba taught us all,” Dr Mayaki said.

The CEO also referred to the outcomes of the APRM process. “It is useful to also remember the recommendations of the APR Panel for South Africa in 2007,” Dr Mayaki noted. The Panel reviews and makes recommendations on measures that could be taken to assist countries in the improvement of its government and socio-economic development performance.  For South Africa, these included the following in 2007:

• Find better-informed measures for combating the growing problem of xenophobia, such as programmes of civic education. [Department of Home Affairs; Department of Education; civil society actors] 

• Devise a more enlightened, comprehensive strategy for dealing with the issue of refugees. Promoting an environment of peace, stability and prosperity in the region is also likely to stabilise and regularise the movement of people. [Department of Foreign Affairs; Department of Home Affairs; Department of Justice and Constitutional Development] 

• Strengthen anti-xenophobic institutions such as the Counter-Xenophobia and Counter-Corruption Unit. [Counter-Xenophobia and Counter-Corruption Unit; parliament; judiciary] 

• Address the issues of excessive use of violence and corruption by security forces in handling refugees. [Department of Home Affairs; parliament; SAPS] 

• Capacitate institutions mandated to protect vulnerable groups, and use education and sensitisation campaigns to increase public awareness on rights of vulnerable groups and the need for tolerance. [Department of Home Affairs; CSOs; SAPS] 

• Strengthen dialogues about democracy and service delivery through Imbizo (a forum for enhancing dialogue and interaction between the government and the people) at local government level and municipalities in order to avert possible conflict based on racism or competition over scarce resources, misunderstanding or political rivalry. [Department of Home Affairs; judiciary; provincial and local governments; civil society] 

• Devise a programme of partnership and collaboration with the private sector and CSOs to address fully and effectively the issues of social inequality, poverty and unemployment. This is important in ensuring that violent conflict is prevented. [Civil society; Department of Justice and Constitutional Development; SAHRC] 

• Seek ways and means of mitigating the “push factors” from neighbouring countries to reduce the influx of refugees, displaced and undocumented persons. [Presidency; Department of Foreign Affairs; Department of Home Affairs]