Zulu monarch Goodwill Zwelithini told thousands in Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium that he did not call an imbizo to take responsibility for the xenophobic attacks.
“I haven’t called this imbizo to say we are responsible‚ but because of your numbers you can stop this carnage. We believe that there’s a third force to all of this‚” he said.
“You have all heard misleading reports and rumours saying the Zulus are mobilising and getting into trains to Johannesburg to fight.
“Those are people who want to pit us against each other.”
He called for peace. “I called you today to be shields of this nation. If indeed I have called you to arms, this country will be in ashes as we speak. But I’m saying let’s arm for peace – now I’m instigating you to mobilise for peace.
“As your king I say calm down. There are people who are pitting you against each other…avoid falling into a pit they are digging for you‚” he said.
Zwelithini convened the imbizo after calls for him to take responsibility for his comments‚ blamed for the attacks that have taken place across the country.
“People I spoke to in Pongola on March 15 have not killed anyone but those not in Pongola are the ones killing people,” he said. It had been while he was speaking at a moral regeneration event in Pongola that Zwelithini was reported to have said that foreigners should pack their bags and leave.
The comments are being probed by the South African Human Rights Commission‚ which is investigating whether or not they constitute hate speech.
A crowd of 4000 people at the stadium jeered the Zimbabwean and Nigerian ambassadors to South Africa. Acting MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs in KwaZulu-Natal and programme director Mike Mabuyakhulu had to urge the crowd to behave and listen to their leaders after they booed when he mentioned that the two envoys were at the imbizo.
Earlier‚ the crowd had been singing songs questioning why they should share “our land”.
“We are going to Point‚” men from Durban’s Dalton hostel sang at the stadium.
Carrying knobkieries‚ shields and other traditional weapons‚ the men were referring to Durban’s Point Road where foreigners last week took up arms to defend themselves against threats of xenophobic violence.
Bussed in from different parts of the province‚ the crowd also sang This Is Our Nation.
King calls for peace – and blames ‘third force’
“I haven’t called this imbizo to say we are responsible‚ but because of your numbers you can stop this carnage. We believe that there’s a third force to all of this‚” he said.
“You have all heard misleading reports and rumours saying the Zulus are mobilising and getting into trains to Johannesburg to fight.
“Those are people who want to pit us against each other.”
He called for peace. “I called you today to be shields of this nation. If indeed I have called you to arms, this country will be in ashes as we speak. But I’m saying let’s arm for peace – now I’m instigating you to mobilise for peace.
“As your king I say calm down. There are people who are pitting you against each other…avoid falling into a pit they are digging for you‚” he said.
Zwelithini convened the imbizo after calls for him to take responsibility for his comments‚ blamed for the attacks that have taken place across the country.
“People I spoke to in Pongola on March 15 have not killed anyone but those not in Pongola are the ones killing people,” he said. It had been while he was speaking at a moral regeneration event in Pongola that Zwelithini was reported to have said that foreigners should pack their bags and leave.
The comments are being probed by the South African Human Rights Commission‚ which is investigating whether or not they constitute hate speech.
A crowd of 4000 people at the stadium jeered the Zimbabwean and Nigerian ambassadors to South Africa. Acting MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs in KwaZulu-Natal and programme director Mike Mabuyakhulu had to urge the crowd to behave and listen to their leaders after they booed when he mentioned that the two envoys were at the imbizo.
Earlier‚ the crowd had been singing songs questioning why they should share “our land”.
“We are going to Point‚” men from Durban’s Dalton hostel sang at the stadium.
Carrying knobkieries‚ shields and other traditional weapons‚ the men were referring to Durban’s Point Road where foreigners last week took up arms to defend themselves against threats of xenophobic violence.
Bussed in from different parts of the province‚ the crowd also sang This Is Our Nation.
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