Programme News
15 April 2015
(News)
At least five people have been killed and dozens arrested in South Africa in recent days as residents of the coastal city of Durban began attacking foreigners, their homes and places of business.
The anti-foreigner violence in the busy port city, which continued on Tuesday, is reminiscent of the 2008 attacks in Johannesburg that killed more than 60 people and displaced thousands. Since Friday,...
15 April 2015
(News)
The Durban city centre was a battlefield yesterday with mobs of South Africans attacking foreign-owned shops, and foreigners taking up arms to fight back.
About 200 people stoned foreign-owned shops on Dr Pixley KaSeme Street (West Street), prompting riot police to shut down the area.
The battles broke out within an hour of Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba assuring diplomats from Nigeria,...
15 April 2015
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights continues to monitor and assist victims of xenophobic violence that has again erupted across South Africa.
These interventions have focused on short, medium and long term solutions.
Several people have been killed so far in the attacks and thousands more injured and displaced. The spike in the violence raised questions of whether these attacks simply flare up every few...
15 April 2015
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights continues to monitor and assist victims of xenophobic violence that has again erupted across South Africa.
These interventions have focused on short, medium and long term solutions.
Several people have been killed so far in the attacks and thousands more injured and displaced. The spike in the violence raised questions of whether these attacks simply flare up every few...
14 April 2015
(News)
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is deeply concerned by the continued outbreaks of xenophobia that have been occurring around the country, particularly in Durban where many foreign families, including refugees and asylum seekers, have been displaced, the agency said on Tuesday.
However, the agency said it welcomed the increased response from government to address the...
14 April 2015
(News)
Malawi and Somalia are preparing to repatriate their countrymen after weeks of xenophobic violence in KwaZulu-Natal.
Last night, the Somali embassy said it was trying to trace its citizens and help them escape the violence. It has demanded urgent assistance from the Department of International Relations and Co-operation.
The Malawian government said it would be helping citizens living in South...
14 April 2015
(News)
South Africa’s government is struggling to contain a flare up of attacks against foreigners in the port city of Durban that’s left at least five people dead and forced more than 1,000 immigrants to flee their homes.
Police battled with groups of foreigners on the streets of Durban’s city center on Tuesday as they burned tires and threw stones in protest after facing attacks from...
13 April 2015
(News)
LHR is dispirited by the call for the establishment of refugee camps by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe at the weekend.
What makes Mantashe’s comments all the more worrying is its surfacing mere days after Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba publicly denounced xenophobic and loaded statements from political leaders amid ongoing violence and intolerance. The rationalisation that these...
13 April 2015
(News)
Police treatment of foreigners slammedLawyers for Human Rights (LHR) issued a stern condemnation on Thursday over the treatment of foreign nationals at the hands of police in Durban.
On Wednesday, a group of over 300 foreign nationals gathered in central Durban for an organised march to protest a spate of xenophobic attacks.
While permission for the march had been granted, it was withdrawn as the...
11 April 2015
(News)
After a fresh outbreak of xenophobic attacks in Umlazi on Friday, following a week in which four people have died in the greater Durban area, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has urged leaders to refrain from making statements that instigate or condone attacks on foreigners.
Addressing displaced foreign nationals at the Westcliff Sports Ground in Chatsworth, Gigaba appealed to all leaders to...