No amount of anger can justify xenophobic violence: Zuma

President Jacob Zuma has spoken out against xenophobic attacks in the country‚ appealing for calm and an end to the attacks that have rocked KwaZulu-Natal over the past two weeks.

“No amount of frustration or anger can justify such an attack‚” he told Parliament during a special statement this afternoon.

Zuma “condemned in the strongest possible terms” the attacks which started in KZN and had spread to areas in Gauteng as the attacks “violate all the values South Africa embodies” such as respect for dignity and human rights.

South Africa stands against “racism‚ xenophobia‚ homophobia and sexism‚” he said.

Zuma said perceptions that foreign nationals were illegal or undocumented‚ were taking over shops and businesses and were all involved in crime needed to be addressed.

He said many foreign nationals were working legally in the country‚ contributing scarce skills. Others were refugees “having run away from conflict or war” the same way South Africans fled to other African countries under apartheid.