Malawian Man Stoned To Death by Mob of South Africans in Pietermaritzburg

 

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Breaking Report

A 29-year-old Malawian father was hunted down and stoned to death near the Jika Joe informal settlement, as foreign nationals were left bleeding, homeless, and turned away from a government hospital because of where they were born.

By Collen Makumbirofa — Advocacy & Human Rights Correspondent

AMalawian man was stoned to death, allegedly by members of March and March, in the Jika Joe informal settlement in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The deceased had been staying there with his wife and children, building a life in a country that was supposed to offer him safety.

The mob, armed with knobkerries, attacked many foreign nationals that day. Many were injured. They continued to pursue the man who would become the deceased, catching him as he attempted to cross the river to escape, and stoned him until he died.

The belongings of foreigners in their shacks and houses were looted as the violence spread through the settlement.

Many of the injured were taken to a government hospital, which refused to treat them because they were foreigners and victims of violence. People bleeding from an attack were turned away at the door of an institution meant to save lives.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said: “Police are investigating the murder of this 29-year-old foreign national.”

The area ward councillor, Suraya Reddy, said the area was still volatile on Saturday, as foreigners had to flee their homes in fear of their lives.

“Many of them were attacked and were running, without shoes or their possessions, and came under attack. Some of them were injured, and we arranged temporary shelter for them. They are mainly Malawian, and we had to engage private medical care because they were refused treatment at government facilities.”— Suraya Reddy, Ward Councillor

Children were traumatised, watching foreigners running away from terror and violence in the place they called home.

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Msunduzi municipality mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla condemned the violence: “Human lives are now at risk, whether foreign nationals or South Africans. We cannot allow people to come into communities and take a life.”

A Nation Failing Its Most Vulnerable

Foreign nationals are under fire and facing massive threats in South Africa. They need support to leave shady and most volatile areas before more lives are lost.

The South African coalition government must defuse the situation by arresting the culprits and stopping the marches which we know result in suffering, theft, looting, violence, and death. The rule of law has broken down. We are asking, practically, for the protection of foreign nationals in South Africa — through humanitarian aid or relocation, before another family loses a husband, a father, a brother, to a mob.

Iwill participate in the rescue, helping the victims through non-profit organisations on the ground:

• Save Pathways Coalition
• Jhb Food AID Bank

Support the Response

Makumbirofa Farms stands with displaced and injured foreign nationals in KwaZulu-Natal. Donations of humanitarian aid, medical support, or relocation assistance can be directed through the contact details below.

PayPal: makumbirofac@gmail.com

Makumbirofa Farms

By Collen Makumbirofa

www.makumbirofafarms.co.za

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