The IFP has today written to the Speaker of the Parliament, Hon. Thandi Modise to request an urgent debate in the National Assembly in order to address the current violent attacks being perpetrated against foreign nationals as a matter of National importance.
Foreign nationals operating legal and licenced businesses in South Africa deserve the full protection of our laws. The sudden spike, multiplicity and severity of the attacks against foreign nationals warrants the urgent attention of government.
The attacks on foreign nationals operating legal businesses is unfounded and is conflated with the deep rooted anger of South Africans who face severe poverty, inequality, joblessness and are desperate.
It is in the national interest that we debate this matter urgently in order to ensure better cooperation between governments in Africa, in particular, as this may have adverse effects on the African Free Trade Agreement recently signed by the African Union Member States.
It is unfortunate that lawlessness has prevailed and that lives have been lost in vein. We cannot support violence and we cannot support South Africans taking the law into their own hands.
Lawmakers can offer solutions in this debate of urgent national importance and may unite behind the ideals of the IFP’s founding principles of Ubuntu/Botho.
Xenophobia and Afrophobia has no place in our democratic dispensation, we must act now in order to avoid any further diplomatic and economic ramifications due to inaction of our government.
[Click here to view the IFP’s request to the Speaker of Parliament]
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Contact:
Narend Singh MP
IFP Chief Whip in Parliament
082 729 2510