Government says it is concerned with the escalating incidences of violence targeted at foreigners in South Africa.
And President Edgar Lungu has consulted with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe who is both the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Union (AU) Chairperson on the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili has disclosed that President Lungu will soon speak to Southern African President Jacob Zuma and other heads of state in the Southern African region on the matter.
And Mr Kabwili said in a statement to media yesterday that the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria has been closely monitoring the situation in that country.
He said there are no records so far of any Zambian nationals living in South Africa that have been victims of the xenophobic attacks.
Mr Kambwili said the Zambian High Commission has been instructed to advise all Zambians living in South Africa to be cautious in their daily activities and avoid areas that have recorded xenophobic attacks.
He said government has deployed a team in Durban to assess the situation and render support to Zambians in the area if required.
Mr Kambwili who is also Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services has also advised cross-border traders to ensure personal security when they travel to South Africa for business.
The Minister noted that government was however encouraged by measures taken by the South African government to avoid further attacks.
The xenophic attacks have left six people dead including a 14-year-old boy in the port city of Durban.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who also chairs the Southern African Development Community and the African union, has come under fire over his silence, as xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals spread from Durban to Johannesburg.
According to News Day, anxiety and anger gripped Zimbabwe, with opposition politicians and social commentators criticising Mugabe’s Zanu-PF government for taking long to react to the attacks.
Ousted former vice president Joice Mujuru and United States-based Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo criticised the government for taking too long to react to the attacks and repatriate its citizens.
Nothing good can ever come out of Mugabe, the dinosaur. Lungu could do well to spend more time with Khama of Botswana. Learn from success, not failure. AND Zambia should condemn South African, (Zulu?), xenophobia not because Zambians have been targeted, but because we are all humans. What injures another human, injures us. Zambia fought against apartheid even when there were no Zambians who directly suffered under that despicable system. Xenophobia is the new apartheid. Zambia should maintain her moral leadership against this new scourge.
Why consult Mugabe? I thought he (Lungu) is the President of Zambia. If Zambians are affected get them out of there. That is your responsibility as leader of Gov’t., to protect the citizens of your nation not consulting. Muzaka chita Konsalute na ve bazadya bana banu.
On the mediterranean, Europeans or white people, are rescuing Africans from the perils of the Sea. In South Africa, the rainbow nation, black South Africans are murdering fellow black africans from other parts of africa, supported by a mad king. This is the biggest disgrace and humiliation to Africans since the promise of a new beginning in 1994. ” Little did we know that eventually the enemy would stand aside and look, while we slaughtered one another….”
@1 IT SEEMS YOU DON’T HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION. HOW CAN LUNGU TALK TO KHAMA? BOTSWANA HAS ALWAYS CHICKENED OUT OF ANY SUPPORT OF APARTHEID VICTIMS’ SUPPORT. THEY COULD NOT SUPPORT LIBERATION MOVEMENTS DUE TO FEAR OF MESSING UP THEIR FLORISHING ECONOMY WITH THEIR SA NEIGHBOUR WHILE OTHER COUNTRIES BOYCOTTED TRADE WITH WHITE SOUTH AFRICA. THEY ALSO FEARED BEING BOMBED. HOW DO YOU GO TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD’S STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM? MOST ZAMBIANS JUST RUSH TO INKING SOMETHING WITHOUT EVEN A PRIOR RESEARCH. MUGABE GOT INVOLVED IMMEDIATELY AFTER GAINING THEIR INDEPENDENCE. BY THE WAY MOST PEOPLE HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE MUGABE. DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND STILL MUGABE’S STRUGGLE FOR HIS OWN PEOPLE? POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE WITHOUT LAND IS USELESS.
Mugabe is currently Chairman of both African Union & SAD. Nothing wrong to consult him. Get a life and stop being shallow.
@Buck Teeth Lungu: Whether you like Mugabe or not, he is the chairman of SADC and AU. So there is nothing wrong consulting him by any president so that a consensus and a unified response to atrocity happening in RSA is found. A unified and broad based consensus, especially from countries in the SADC region would be more effective and biting than individual countries issuing separate statements or taking individual actions.
Yes, if the South African Govt continue to drag its feet to curb the violence then I think individual Govts can decide the course of action at that point. But I think it is still premature. I strongly believe that at this point in time a unified course of action from all SADC and AU member States is more appropriate—and that takes consultations!
Mr. Kambwili, Zambian Watchdog has a photo of a Zambian male who is brutally injured.
Its not only about Zambians, its about people, humanity & treasuring Gods blessings of life. Whether Zambian, Ethiopian, Rwandan & any other nationality, xenophobia is chocking South Africa.
Therefore, Lungu is visionless with the entire PF. Why consult Mugabe the DICTATOR of 33 years? Imwe are Lungu & PF, wake up early from your slumber! When will you make your own decisions? Surely the entire PF doesn’t seem to know what to do, only yapping & fattening their bellies!
Wake up, the Zambian economy & kwacha are in limbo.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
For your information Zimbabwe has the highest number of immigrants in South Africa. There are even more Malawians and Mozambicans living in South Africa than Zambians. All governments in the region with citizens will have to come up with one strategy. No citizen from Botswana will be affected due to the fact that most Batswana speak the same language as that spoken in the North Western province of South Africa. As it stands ECL is on the right track by speaking with leaders from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi.
On this one Mr Kabwili you are spot on. It is good to know that the govt and its agents are alive to the situation and looking out for its own citizens. This is the way our govt should operate. For SA they should recall that many countries helped them to be where they are and should be grateful to the few we have sent there to help them develop further.
The first thing an intelligent President does, is to consult elder statesmen – fully aware of the repercussions of irrational decisions. Mere mortals are busy issuing ultimata (yet they had to be rescued from Boko Haram by neighbors) – these are the heroes in the eyes of the Watchdog – oh, the Watchdog does not know that RG is SADC and AU Chair!!
Those opposing President Mugabe seem to be reading a lot of news from western press. Go and see how Zimbabwe is doing under severe sanctions and then comment. There was no xenophobia when Zimbabwe accommodated Zambians, Mozambicans, Malawians and even South Africans so why are south Africans persecuting them.
Like Mandela, we should fight domination by anybody, black or white. Just as in Zambia, we should fight domination by Bembas. We are all humans together, and none of us is more superior than the other. Fairness and compassion should guide us all in our daily lives.
Bembas have accepted EL an Eastern er whilst you *****s in typical failure mode have extended your tribal tag to the easterners. Just accept that you are tribalists. And if you should know I am bemba but I voted for HH coz I abored the violence that Satan represented. That is the last time I will vote for pipo who hate me.ECL has my vote in 2016.You continue insulting potential voters and go and campaign among your cows and pray that they will be allowed to vote.
Iwe makaka why should u fight Bemba’s & for what reason? Bemba’s have not even produced a president ,Sata was a besa from mpika,Chiluba was from luapula,so if u say Bemba dominace in political circle i just laugh.
Foolish ***** Tonga fool
Buck Teeth Lungu,
You have made some very good points which you have spoiled by advocating for a fight against what you perceive to be Bemba domination in Zambia. How are you going to wage this fight against Bemba domination? By necklacing and burning Bembas alive as the South Africans are doing to other Africans? Cry my beloved country.
What have Bembas done to you? Some of the people who speak Bemba are actually from other tribe meaning that you a Kamushi might end up killing your fellow Tonga just because he is speaking Icibemba.
@2 YOUR FIGHT ON BEMBAS IS A NON-STARTER. THEY MAY BE TOLERANT BUT THOSE PEOPLE ARE MAD. BAKAMINWISHA POFYE IMISU. BA LUNGU NOMBA NABASANGUKA ABABEMBA?
Your hatred for Bembas shall consume you and backfire on you.
iwe chi @Buck Teeth Lungu, bembas are superior because most of the vikopo non bembas think and say so mostly.is the president bemba by tribe? look at the cabinet. but mulifikopo bambi ai!!!
Lungu and mugabe are all foolish friends!!!!!!!!!!!111 they are just there to plan unsuccessful plans that are just destroying the countries they are ruling!!!!!! mugabe is a tyrant how can he have a heart to react over these ferocious attacks when himself is just as cruel as those xenophobic perpetrators?
Lungu is too royal to mugabe why is it all the time he does hings under mugabe’s directions? is it becuase mugabe is the one who helped this dull imbecile lungu to ascend to the throne? is it becuase mugabe lent lungu some campaigning fees for his political fight during the campaigns in the just ended by-elections?
Pf is nothing but a bunch of dull culprits
Mugabe is SADC and AU Chair – there are tenets of civilized human behavior that people need to give a chance to. If Nigerians start burning South African-owned shops in Lagos, you think that that will be the perfect solution to the problem in Durban, right?
Zambians have not been targeted possibly because they go live among South africans in informal settlements,an injury to one is an injury to all. Let us not mix with Zimbabwe in this situation. Theirs is different.
With people like you these killing will never end, South Africans are killing foreigners, they are not targeting Mozambiqians or Malawians alone.
So tell me my bru, how is your situatian different from Zimbabwean’s. if you start discriminating now when we are all on the receiving hand then you are thinking like them. we need to come together right now and come up with a solution to this.
Malawian President Peter Mutharika is one true leader who doesn’t need to hide behind uncle bob like the lazy coward we have in State House; he tells it how it is and just a few months ago our president Lazy was praising this selfsame Zuma and his country. The empty tin Zuma has been mute on this issue, the only way he will respond is if other Africans get him where it hurts, his pocket boycott their products even though everything in Zambia is imported from RSA.
Docile Africans need to wake up!!
Get your facts on Zuma right. Please be informed that President Zuma has condemned the xenophobic attacks and has told those carrying out the attacks to stop. A few days ago he put up an inter-ministerial team comprising ministries of Security, Home Affairs, and Police to look into the matter. Even yesterday when he addressed parliament Zuma condemned the xenophobic attacks. There must be a third force involved in these attacks.
African presidents must learn something very fast from these xenophobic attacks. They should put their countries in order. Only then can their citizens stop going to South Africa to sell tomatoes and dogs on the streets of Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town, etc.
On the whole the xenophobic, if not Afrophobic, attacks must be condemned in the strongest terms by…
We have more serious problems of our own to sort out than zimbos & Nigerians xenophobia crisis in SA. Imminent poor harvest, load shedding, no money for retirees pensions, budget deficit, unemployment etc. For how long will we be sacrificing /championing other countries problems. Let’s learn from Botswana Namibia
I dont like a president who cant make decisions, how does he go to toilet?
There is no Bemba dominance in Zambia, except street value dominance perpetrated by some sections of media, ofwhich , the same perpetration has turned against it! This street value mentality is what is responsible of that xenophobia in SA!
In as much as i feel for those who have been gruesomely murdered in the attacks, all i can say is Home is home foriegners living in SA please just go back to your respective countries you have nothing to lose , I would rather be poor and have my freedom than live like a prisoner in name of making money. So, to those that have have survived the attacks please start packing and come back home.
So Zimbabweans, Malawians, Zambians, Mozambicans, Namibians, Botswanans, Congolese, Angolans, Nigerians, Ghanaians, extra, should also start BURNING S/Africans domiciled in these countries? That would send S/Africans doing business in these countries back home real quick, wouldn’t it?
But what would that make us as humans? ANIMALS? If you have watched National Geographic before, you understand what I am talking about—because only animals can be that territorial as to go to the extent of killing and maiming anything considered “INTRUDER”. Is this the kind of integration being sought for under the SADC Chater?
South Africa and its leadership really need to think deep and long about what is happening to their country. This cancer will one day turn inward and destroy them!
Hold on.. They are killing the Somalians, Zimbabwean’s and other black African’s but he Zulus and Xhosas need to focus on the ones they are missing out.. They are leaving out the Chinese, Indians and Amabunu’s The blacks need a wake up call.
Edgar should learn to take things of national interest seriously how do just go and consult Mugabe in everything during the PF wrangles before elections you sneaked out of the country to go and seek protection. The situation currently needs urgent attention stop being cry baby. Come out and take measures to ensure that you protect your citizen it does not mean that since there is no Zambian who has been killed so far Zambians are safe NO. Stop being a puppet to Robert he is failed leader be like our late Mwanawasa who categorily opposed Mugabe’s style of leadership.
This is a very outdated trend if african countries emulate South Africa. It should be condemned in the strongest terms possible. It potrays idle mind and laziness amongst the youth and govt laxity (security lapse ). Poverty and unemployment is all over in Africa and expulsion of foreign nationals (investors) is not the solution. No wonder it is Africa’s most developed country. Where is Zuma when all this happens. Poor governance! Mugabe or Lungu are not the solution. It is a local problem and should be solved from within. Once african always african! What an International embarassment?
@doss,
i feel u dear.. its just street value dominance that triggers the so called bemba dominance.. otherwise us bembas do collaborate well with the rest of the bretherens in the country..
Xenophobia is so bad, to say the least ” it’s a devaluation of human charecter of true love for one another.”
While I condemn the violence, I would like to share with my fellow countrymen that the violence occurrences are not accurately reported! This violence takes place in informal settlements where some foreigners have set up shops. Its like a foreigner comes to trade in Chibolya.
So it is not like South Africans are randomly attacking foreigners! Many South Africans are good people and I have lived and worked with them.
So this problem has a social dimension as jobless South Africans feel jealous of the success of the foreigners in business and attack them. There is definitely also a criminal element in this.
Therefore I urge people to be calm and let our elected leaders resolve this problem.
It is despicable and unacceptable for anyone one to attack an innocent person
Feed a zambian with feaces they will thank you for it. We are a nation of cowards, descended from cowards who ran away from wars around the region. What have we ever stood for. Zero. Black friday, malasambwa. Boycot dstv, I was just checking everyone is paying. & the excuse, “my children won’t accept to be without dstv”. What do you teach your children? COWARDICE.
This bemba tonga tribal thing is just meant to mask our inherent cowardice.
We are only good at insulting each other, ECL this, HH that.
Come on!! Move away from that comfort zone & stand up for something.
Ths south african must not forget that even here in our mines there are alot of boars uneducated but being paid more than our educated zambia……isnt that getting our jobs?
so many dull comments from dull people. lungu consulted the SADC chairman, SADC is for all southern africa, he is looking at the interest of the whole region. what if the violence spreads to all the region? *****s think before you comment.
Its a shame that our so called can not make his own decisions on the issue in RSA he has to consult Dictator Mugabe SHAME.
@ clercuzio, i agree with you , too many dunder heads on this site, Lungu has to consult Mugabe in his capacity as SADC chairperson and as AU chairperson. You just dont make SOLO decions as a country without consulting the the SADC chairperson , thats protocol and it has to be followed you have to consult and then make a decision after consulting the person in charge of the region , and Mugabe happens to be the one incharge of the Southeren Region and Africa so he has to be consulted nothing cowardice about Lungu here , in fact he is wise. People, let those foriegners living in SA just come back home , HOME IS HOME lets not inconvinience govt were its not necessary.
South Africans are wonderful people but years of suffering and fighting has reduced a few to savages without emotions. Instead of meeting this savage group with equal savagery force, we must meet them with a moral force love and none violence.
what about our own INFESTORS? Are we any different calling others by that name?
Would killing South Africans in the neighbouring countries work?
I cannot trust a man who has held on to power for 35 years via under-handed means.
So, why is he AU Chairman – try to look beyond your narrow mind. Those leaders who gave him that responsibility are not stupid. You will think of Mugabe after the re-colonization of Africa is complete.
Ad my friend, I cannot argue a point that can neither be proved or otherwise. In my opinion, Mugabe is not a democrat. His 30-some years in power is shameful.
The AU (again in my opinion) is packed with like minded dictators. That they chose Mugabe as their front-man is no surprise to me. When the same organization was known as OAU one Idi Amin was also elevated to Mugabe’s present status. Africa as a continent cannot even compete economically, with South America. Doesn’t that give you reason to pause and wonder why?
some of you people make me wonder how you think. EL going to consult uncle Bob is the most noble thing to do and in the interest of global village life. why do you think all these groupings of countries have come about; EU, SADC, AU etc…it is for the purpose of supporting one another in times of need. it is very right for HE EL to consult the current chairperson of both AU and SADC over the situation to avoid many statements from different angles. for your own information, responses to various situations that affect member countries are agreed not kwati nipa mushi uyu alanda ifi uyu nao asosa filya….wake up and get a life you UPND symphathyzer. The UPND will never rule Zed, watch the space!
I suggest that President Edgar Lungu sends Dr. Kenneth Kaunda to South Africa to remind President Zuma and all the South Africans that what they are doing is not good at all. It is an insult to Africa especially, Zambian to learn that the same people that we assisted to be liberated can now turn against other Africans. These Foreigners they are beating and killing are just a soft target. South African need healing, its not these African immigrants who mistreated them during apartheid, instead they stood by them to gain them their freedom. South Africans please heal and learn to live with other people. We did it in Zambia until our neighbours were free from oppression. We support you as a rainbow nation but what you are doing is worse than apartheid.