'Social movement needed to fight xenophobia'

South African community leaders are losing control of communities says senior analyst at the Institute for Security Studies. He says a social movement is needed in South Africa to educate people that xenophobic incidents and attacks are unacceptable. This comes in the wake of xenophobic attacks in Alexandra.

He says anti-foreigner feelings continue to make headlines disturbingly in South Africa. In all the incidents (Tshwane, Port Elizabeth and Alexandra), leaders have spoken out against the incidents but communities don't seem to be listening.

Many of the communities still commonly blame foreigners for worsening social problems such as rising crime, unemployment, or even the spread of diseases.

Just yesterday, hundreds of police were deployed in Alexandra, north-east of the Johannesburg, after a mob attack left two people dead and 50 injured, after xenophobic attacks over the weekend. Police say residents told them they don't want any more illegal immigrants, as they rob them on the street when they go to work and when they return from work. "What we are seeing is an outcome of frustration of people who are looking for jobs and they believe that they are not getting jobs because jobs are taken by foreigners," says Mashele.

Unemployment is a national challenge
He says leaders need to provide clarity on the socio-economic situation faced in the country. The issue of unemployment is a national challenge - not created by foreigners and it has to be addressed by the national leadership in partnership with the private sector. He says we need to see a deployment of national leaders to the troubled areas. "They must go to the ground to address and educate people and not only speak on television." He added that if this issue is not addressed quickly, "we could run into a kind of hooligan revolution..."

Meanwhile, reports from Alexandra say some residents have been going from house to house recruiting people to join in the attacks on foreigners. Hundreds of police are still monitoring the situation in the township after fresh xenophobic violence last night. A building was set alight and several vehicles destroyed as attacks on foreigners continued. About 39 people have now been arrested.

Many foreigners are taking shelter at the local police station and in a youth centre. An unconfirmed number of people sheltering in the youth centre were robbed of their belongings and cash last night. - edited by Nthabeleng Thipa