Finally, Zulu King Bows To Pressure, Agrees To Call For An End To Xenophobic Attacks

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, after being credited for fueling the Xenophobic attacks in South Africa, has been persuaded into acting after a series of meetings with provincial and national government leaders.

This is coming after more than a week of efforts by national and provincial ministers to persuade the monarch to publicly call for peace following his controversial comments in Phongola late last month, telling foreigners to pack their bags and leave, is regarded as having triggered the violence.

According to City Press, Zwelithini has now called an imbizo in Durban for tomorrow, where he is expected to call for an end to xenophobic attacks.The imbizo, at which the king will address the province’s traditional leaders and their subjects, will be held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium at 10am.

President Jacob Zuma, who cancelled his trip to Indonesia to deal with the crisis, yesterday paid a visit to the Chatsworth refugee centre in Durban, where mainly Malawians, Zimbabweans and Mozambicans have been accommodated since being driven out of their homes.

He told the foreigners that government was not forcing them to go, but would provide transport to repatriate those who wanted to leave. Those who wanted to stay, he said, would get help to return to their communities.

“We are not fighting with you as government. Not every South African is saying you must go. It is a small number of people who want you to go,” President Zuma said. “We want us to live as sister and brother.”

Last week, as pressure increased on him to retract his words or apologise, the king dug in his heels and blamed the media instead.