Third force behind race attacks, says Zulu king

Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini has denied any responsibility for the recent spate of deadly xenophobic attacks across South Africa, suggesting a hidden “third force” was involved in stoking the violence.

Comments made late last month by the influential tribal leader at a community gathering in KwaZulu-Natal province have been partially blamed for sparking the violence that has left seven people dead.

The South African Human Rights Commission began investigating Mr Zwelithini’s role in inciting the violence after charges were laid against him. However, Mr Zwelithini insisted at the anti-xenophobia meeting that he was misinterpreted by the media. He said if he had really called on his estimated 12 million subjects to drive foreigners out of South Africa, “this country would be in ashes”.

Lack of harmony

The king went on to urge his subjects to stop attacking foreigners, saying the violence was “shameful”and showed that people had not learned to live in harmony with other nationalities since the outbreak of xenophobic violence in 2008, which left 62 people dead.

“Whether it be in rural or urban areas, I ask all to adhere to the rule of law and show that we know how to behave,” the Zulu king said. “We are a nation that loves peace. I ask for peace to reign, dear Zulu people.”

Mr Zwelithini’s pleas for peace and calm have come after a weekend in which sporadic violence left another two foreigners in Johannesburg dead despite calls by government and civil society for the attacks to stop.

The horror of the violence was shown in graphic photographs in the Sunday Times newspaper of the death of a Mozambican national in the Alexandria township early on Saturday morning. Three men have since been arrested and charged with the man's murder.

The attacks against immigrants began in Durban and surrounding townships less than two weeks ago and spread to Johannesburg last week. There are now fears that South Africans will face reprisal attacks abroad.

Chemical company Sasol is repatriating 340 South Africans from its Mozambique operations for their own safety. Irish mining company Kenmare Resources is also reportedly repatriating 62 South Africans working at its titanium mine in Mozambique because of the violence.

South African president Jacob Zuma has made a number of public pleas for the violence to stop. Although it has lessened, anti-foreigner sentiment continues to simmer and boil over in places.

Thousands of foreigners have fled to refugee camps since the attacks began and more than 1,000 people have been bused out of the country by their governments since the start of the weekend.