By Amanda Khoza | TimesLive |
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the police’s “apartheid-style” approach of asking foreign nationals to produce their identity documents.
“Obviously we cannot accept behaviour like that where people are hunted down in that way and are asked questions in that way about their own identity, because it takes us back to the apartheid way of doing things,” Ramaphosa said on Saturday.
“We are now in a democracy and we should be very restrained and respectful of the rights of people in our country.”
Ramaphosa was speaking to journalists before a presidential imbizo in Bloemfontein, and was asked about reports of police allegedly stopping foreign nationals and asking them to produce proof of their identity.
His comments came after rolling protests and the murder in Diepsloot north of Johannesburg on Wednesday of a Zimbabwean, Mbodazwe Elvis Nyathi, who was killed by a group going door-to-door demanding to check residents’ passports and identity documents.
“We regret the loss of life of a Zimbabwean and I am also pleased that the police, together with the minister, have been on the ground and have been stabilising the situation and there are investigations now under way,” said Ramaphosa.
“Of course we deplore any action that is taken against anyone to a point where they are killed.
JUST IN: #PresidentialImbizo: Ramaphosa says reports of police asking foreign nationals to prove their identity is worrying and unacceptabl. @TimesLIVE @SundayTimesZA pic.twitter.com/ueSwOra3H2
— Amanda Khoza – The Journalist (@MandaKhoza) April 9, 2022
“We continue to say that we should not take the law into our hands and we should not be targeting anyone in the way that people from other countries have been targeted because whatever we say, it no sooner becomes something that becomes xenophobic.
“As South Africans we should always be respectful to people from other nations, and whatever challenges we have we should use the law enforcement channels.”
Police minister Bheki Cele refused to answer questions from the media about Nyathi’s murder.
What did cops do,he is simply failing to control his mob
Makaoma moyo baba imi musadaro dzorayi moyo we ubuntu
Mdhara uyo akashata kumeso zvese ne moyo haabatsiri
Chimurenga Gandanga Gurus now you are taking
Talk without action that’s what African do best
Admire Kamba at least ataura ko Ed arikuitei Kuti aprotecte mazimba arijoni
Collen Zireva I don’t expect anything from ED bcz I regard him as my enemy.
You are the one romancing zanu pf Cyril instead of telling them the truth.
Meanwhile his own home affairs minister is promoting xenophobia.
Reuben Kisstopher
By promoting the law ne
Ke Pops Marope in 2008 Zimbabwean people voted ZANU PF out of power and the ANC government of South Africa helped Robert Mugabe to remain in power despite his defeat. The immigration problem South Africa faces today is a direct result of that injustice. But the home affairs minister now acts as if he just joined the ANC today and has no knowledge of this.
Reuben Kisstopher
How did this ANC help Mugabe?
Talking without action is no talking at all. Perpetrators of xenophobia are walking freely. They even find the guts to come on national television and boost about their next moves while the authorities are busy holding press conferences
All ANC mafias has mines in Zimbabwe thus why they are babysitting corrupt n ruthless Zanu pf now Ramaphosa id is caught in between since he’s weak to control the mob
Let’s go nd check our names in voters roll then let’s vote for change I think that’s the only way. Otherwise topera kufa zviri kuitika Russia /Ukraine 🇺🇦
Fusirai Mutizwa munoamwa here pliz give this man a bells
Puppet yevarungu .kana mazuva akaitwa looting haana zvinekumeso zvaakataura sababa venyika .fellow guy
Police haina mhosva vanhu ndivo vane problemndiri kurwadziwa
Anongoti mhino kukura kudarika face
Haiwawo ngaatibvirepo uyu ndopasina zvemunhu sh** chaiyo
Ngavadzoke va vhote mhani.aaaa taneta ne zanu pf.isu..vodzokera after election tabvisa zanu pf
Wishy washy nwo servant.
.
.
This Ramaphosa is a serpent, what he is on the media is not what he is behind the scenes
I think the only solution African Union must remove South Africa from SADC and from African Union.
Succ Mukanga I thought u were gonna say the only solution is 4 Zimbos to go back home🤣
Succ Mukanga You are mad you are trying to deny the truth that you need to go back home.
Muzi PhokaMuzi Phoka u too u are mentally disturb,SA leaders are not doing their job in Sadc region, just looting from Zim and invest in SA……..
Dexter Moyo so wena as a Zimbo what r u doing since u see them looting ur country?
Kb Moatshe The samething you are doing here when they loot.And They must first return all our minerals before we go.
Cathrine Nyarai Gatsi u r stupid Shem😅. Anc doesn’t own SAwe the citizens of this country we own SA n we r removing the Anc come 2024. The Anc, Eff n zanupf wants u to b here bcos they want to loot zim in peace. They know if u go back home u will vote 4 Chamisa n he will stop their nonsense. U better open ur eyes n fight 4 ur kids future bcos they can never b sans.
Kkkkkk
But why Mr President why…..
You as a president you need to learn to adress matters in time than just keeping quite and talk after people loosing lives. You need to wake up to be a president of command
Such a stugie
crocodile tears!
He endorsed dudula f**k this c**t
Cyril you are a man of words not action that is your weakness.Enough of words and starts acting like a real president not a stooge ayhiiii khona
Bobby Ketumile Manakason Yes so true. He is so scared and afraid of his own people and he takes their advice. 💩🌚