President Zuma to champion fight against crime and calls for restraint in wake of tensions between locals and non-nationals

24 February 2017

President Jacob Zuma is to champion the fight against crime in order to promote safer and more stable communities, in light of several complaints from communities about drug trafficking and abuse and other serious crimes which cause fear among many residents in the country.

The situation has become more serious in light of current threats of violence and acts of intimidation and destruction of property directed at non-nationals living in South Africa. Residents in some communities blame non-nationals for the escalating crimes especially drug trafficking. Violence erupted in Pretoria West and Rosettenville, and there are simmering tensions that have been reported in other areas including the dissemination of hate speech and threatening messages via social media.

The President has strongly condemned the acts of violence and calls upon citizens and non-nationals to exercise restraint, unite against crime and work with the authorities to bring perpetrators of crime to book.

The President visited Nyanga in Cape Town two weeks ago, one of the serious crime hotspots in the country. He will be visiting other communities as well to obtain a first-hand account of problems faced on the ground with respect to crime.

On Wednesday (22 February) the President met with the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster Ministers to discuss a strategy to respond to crime more vigorously in the many hotspots around the country.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration has also been directed to look into the threats of violence and ensure that programmes agreed to since the last outbreak of violence, which are being implemented, are communicated to the public.

“The security Ministers briefed me about recent incidents of violence and destruction of property as well as rumours of impending violence directed at non-nationals circulating on social media. There are real concerns by South Africans in many areas about serious crime that is destabilising communities. In Nyanga ambulances cannot even enter the township to fetch sick people to take them to hospital. Delivery vans have to be escorted by police when entering the townships. People fear even walking around the townships. I impressed upon the Ministers that action is needed in Nyanga and other areas. Our people cannot continue to live in fear like this,” said the President.

The President said government has also noted the complaints of South Africans about companies that employ illegal immigrants. He reiterated that the Department of Home Affairs will be cracking down on all employers who continue with this practice, which is dangerous as it pits locals against non-nationals.

President Zuma also appealed to citizens not to blame all criminal activities on non-nationals.

“Many citizens of other countries living in South Africa are law abiding and contribute to the economy of the country positively. It is wrong to brandish all non-nationals as drug dealers or human traffickers. Let us isolate those who commit such crimes and work with government to have them arrested, without stereotyping and causing harm to innocent people. In particular, Government requests communities to assist the police with information relating to complaints that some non-nationals may be involved in selling drugs, human trafficking and other serious crimes. This will enable law enforcement agencies to act against such lawlessness regardless of the place of origin of the perpetrators”.

President Zuma reiterated his assertion that South Africans are not xenophobic and that the problems they are raising with respect to crime will be attended to.

The President has also urged unity among citizens and non-nationals to fight crime.

“The threats and counter-threats on social media must stop. All must exercise restraint, respect the laws of the land and work together to fight crime and build safer communities,” said the President.

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President Zuma calls for calm and for the communities to work with law enforcement authorities in the fight against crime

24 February 2017

President Jacob Zuma has called for calm and restraint, amidst today’s march against crime in Pretoria and urged all communities especially in the Tshwane Metro to work with law enforcement authorities to fight against crime as the primary cause of the tensions that have arisen between South Africans and non-nationals. 

The President also cautioned against labelling the fight against crime as xenophobic saying South Africans can never be accused of xenophobia as the country carried the most number of immigrants than Europe and had effectively integrated them within all communities across the country including townships like Mamelodi and Soshanguve in Tshwane as well as Soweto and many parts of Johannesburg. 

“At the same time, we cannot close our eyes to the concerns of the communities that most of the crimes such as drug dealing, prostitution and human trafficking are allegedly perpetuated by foreign nationals,” said President Zuma.

“The community frustrations are sparked by high levels of criminal activities particularly drugs trafficking, under-age prostitution and human trafficking which are impacting on the youth negatively and are alleged to be perpetuated by the foreign nationals. But the march in Pretoria today, which was also attended by foreign nationals, was an anti-crime not anti-foreigners and we appeal to all the marchers to protest within the confines of the law. No destruction of property, no burning and barricading of roads, violence or killing of people would never be tolerated and the law will take its course,” said the President.

“In South Africa,” he added, “we respect the Human Rights of all people and we are a not a xenophobic country and we would not have such a number of immigrants within our country and at our borders, many of whom have genuine reasons of fleeing their countries including economic and education opportunities, if we were a xenophobic country.”

The President also said he had convened a meeting with Ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster in Cape Town and directed them to look at further ways to increase the fight against crime as “South Africa simply could not continue to co-exist with crime”.

"I will be talking to the police again to follow up on the meeting with the Security Cluster on the measures to undertake in this fight and how government will support the law enforcement authorities,” he said. The President reiterated that any person who commits a crime should be dealt with in terms of the law irrespective of whether it's a local or foreign national person.

“We also want to warn foreign nationals to live and operate within our laws and know that they will be brought to book if they commit any crime within the Republic,” the President said.

President Zuma further urged protesters to isolate culprits who are taking advantage of the legitimate protests and grievances of the communities to commit criminal activities and not take the law into their hands but instead to report crime to law enforcement authorities.

“We call on all citizens and non-South Africans to work together with law enforcement agencies to fight crime and expose the instigators of these criminal activities including drug-lords, illegal brothel owners and human traffickers. We just cannot co-exist with crime, criminals, whether they are South Africans or foreign nationals, must be dealt with harshly but within the ambit of the law. Let’s us all make South Africa a safe and a friendly place to live in,” he said.

The President reassured all non-South Africans that their rights would always be protected where they live and work according to the laws of South Africa.

President Zuma also appealed to political leaders to refrain from making reckless and irresponsible statements that have the potential of fuelling tensions between South Africans and foreign-nationals.

The President will be meeting with the Security Cluster and more communities to further discuss increased measures to fight against crime and ensure that the situation in the affected areas is returned to normalcy.

“We urge unity among both our citizens and non-nationals in the fight against crime,” the President concluded.

Statements issued by Dr Bongani Ngqulunga, The Presidency 24 February 2017