The DA said it was horrified to learn of the murder of a Zimbabwean gardener Elvis Nyathi in Diepsloot in what appeared to be a xenophobic attack.
The opposition party placed the blame for the incident at the feet of the government and populist politicians and leaders.
DA HORRIFIED BY NYATHI’S MURDER
Nyathi, a 43-year-old father of four, who left Zimbabwe six years ago to come and live and work in South Africa was allegedly stoned and burnt to death by a group of vigilantes that went door-to-door in Diepsloot and demanded that residents produce passports and identity documents to prove their nationality.
The attack happened at night on Wednesday, 6 April – the same day Minister of Police Bheki Cele visited the community who are aggrieved by the crime in the area.
The opposition party said Elvis Nyathi’s murder is a sign that more foreigners will be brutally killed in South Africa is Cyril Ramaphosa’s government doesn’t take strong action.
“This reprehensible and senseless attack could be a sign of things to come should strong action not be taken by government to crack down on these criminal elements and fix our broken immigration system which has been a powder keg for this kind of vigilantism and criminality,†said the DA’s National spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube in a statement.
“However, blame must also be placed on populist politicians and leaders who fan the flames of xenophobia in our country. The cost will always be lives lost in a spate of violent attacks.â€
The opposition party said it warned that xenophobic rhetoric by populists is dangerous and misplaced, adding that blaming foreigners for South Africa’s problems, including unemployment and inequality, is “the highest form of scapegoating.â€
