Zulu king calls for protection of foreigners at imbizo

KING Goodwill Zwelithini finally called for peace and an end to xenophobic attacks at the anti-xenophobia imbizo at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Monday.

Sphelele Ngcobo, a 26-year-old unemployed man said he was at the imbizo to listen to the king.

“Xenophobia is not the right thing.They are our brothers and sisters, but there’s too much competition. I’m from Eshowe but came to Durban after finishing matric to look for a job. It’s been eight years, I still don’t have one. If I had a job I won’t be here. I don’t have a problem with foreigners, I just need government to make jobs for us. They (government) have everything and we have nothing.”

The imbizo started in the afternoon with multi-faith prayers from religious leaders, most of whom were booed by the restless crowd.

Mangosuthu Buthelezi, calmed the crowds when he spoke as traditional prime minister to the Zulu monarch, “We gather today in a time of crisis. There is violence sweeping through our communities, targeting our brothers and sisters from this continent. Our people are attacking the very neighbours who gave us refuge during our own liberation struggle. These are the people with whom we have trade ties, historical ties and ties of humanity. There is no sense in what is happening.”

Buthelezi added he believed the king’s words had been “used as an excuse for violent men and criminals to act out their depravity.”

He went on the explain what the king had said in his now famed speech in Pongola, “He spoke about the sacrifices of our forefathers to gain liberation.

“Considering all that they gave to secure an inheritance of freedom for this generation, His Majesty lamented the character of this generation.

“In 2015, South Africans (are) lazy people who don’t want to work, who are thieves, who rape children, house breakers, lazy people who don’t want to work the land, they are people when, if our nations look at them, they will say let’s go eat the inheritance of these stupid people.”

“When our King said that its time for us to to ask them to leave, he meant it is time for South Africans to start respecting the inheritance we have received from those who struggled for our freedom.

“It is time for South Africans to accept hard work, the rule of law and respect for human life. It is entirely irrational that our people’s response to this call would be to trample the rule of law and discard the right to life and human dignity.

“Regardless of how one interprets what His Majesty said, one thing is clear. He never decreed violence, mayhem, looting, murder or arson,” Buthelezi added.

He said the shameful truth was xenophobia is present in the country. He said the fact that it took very little to spark it must be acknowledged in order to arrest the violence.

“Violence lies below the surface. Entitlement, anger and lawlessness have corrupted the souls of our people.

“We are faced with a threefold crisis. The first and most pressing, to put a stop to violent attacks and intimidation against foreign nationals.

“The second is to find a way to remove this evil from the heart of our people and restore ubuntu/botho. The third is damage control. In the eyes of the world, the image of the Zulu nation and the Zulu monarch has been damaged.”

Excitement filled the air as the a praise poet sang the king’s praises as he came out to address the crowded stadium.

Speaking in Zulu he said the media had misinterpreted his words and always seemed to highlight the negative.

He said the speech he made in Pongola was now more important than ever. The reason the imbizo was held, the king said, was to take action against those who “were doing these things” (referring to xenophobic attacks). He expressed that he wanted his people to protect foreigners and restore peace.

Velaphi Mkhize, a cultural expert said he believed peace would be restored.

“The king spelt it out very well. He never uttered anything himself saying people should attack foreigners. He is also welcoming the Human Rights Commission to do their investigation.”

Busi Nsibande, a young woman dressed in Zulu traditional gear was happy to listen to the king’s message.

“I wanted to come here to listen to the speech from the king himself. I am feeling ashamed because we are one and all from God. I think people understand now and will stop the violence,” she said.

Despite hopes of peace and an end to the xenophobic attacks, reports of violence against foreigners in Isipingo, south of Durban emerged a day after the imbizo.