The Sunday Mail
Wallace Ruzvidzo
Sunday Mail Correspondent
Africans should not be used to foment and perpetrate xenophobic violence against each other, Pan-African Association for Socio-Politico and Convention Network (PAASPCN) has said.
In a statement last week, PAASPCN secretary-general Mr Francis Mambo said Africans should never stir up anti-foreigner and anti-black sentiment against each other, as it went against African ethos of togetherness.
He singled out recent utterances by Limpopo Member of the Executive Council Dr Phopi Ramathuba to a Zimbabwean patient, saying such behaviour was both unseemly and ahistorical.
“Black Zimbabweans have not been spared as they are among the main targets of abusive ‘anti-foreigner’ sentiment and xenophobic violence at the hands of Black South Africans,” said Mr Mambo.
“In particular, great exception is taken to the uninformed, unacceptable, unethical and extremely inflammatory utterances and actions of Dr Phopi Ramathuba, who is the Limpopo Member of the Executive for Health in South Africa, in August 2022. The shockingly xenophobic stance by a senior official in the South African governance structure cannot go unchallenged.
“All right-thinking Africans both within and outside South Africa must condemn Dr Ramathuba’s ahistorical public assertions, which show a woeful lack of appreciation of the generous assistance and succour other African countries provided to South Africans during the struggle against apartheid.”
Zimbabwe and South Africa, he added, have strong bilateral relations dating back to both countries’ struggles for independence, hence the xenophobic attacks should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve.
“As PAASPCN, we cannot help but draw the conclusion that these purveyors of xenophobia and anti-Black African violence are witting and/or unwitting foot soldiers of the Western-driven regime change agenda in Zimbabwe.
“It is well known that for about 20 years now, Western governments and their agents have been trying to get SADC countries to support their illegal regime-change efforts. Having failed to get the support of Southern African governments, we are aware that they are directing their efforts towards recruiting individual politicians to do their divisive bidding,” he said.
Mr Mambo urged the South African government to deal decisively with rogue elements, as well as acquaint them with the history of the two countries and the region.
