JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - I only realized how serious the attacks were when I saw a photograph of a man being burnt alive in a township east of Johannesburg.
South Africa Violence Displaces 25,000 ImmigrantHaving worked as a photographer in South Africa for more than 10 years, I was no stranger to violence: I had seen angry people chanting slogans, blocking roads and destroying property.
But burning a man alive was evil and barbaric, a flashback to the worst violence under apartheid when opponents of the white minority government were shot and tortured by police and informers were "necklaced" with burning tires. By Siphine Sibeko.
There are believed to be between three and five million foreigners living in South Africa, most of them Zimbabweans fleeing poverty and violence at home.This violence against foreigners started on the night of May 11th and South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki doesn't approve the deployment of the army until May 21st. This is 10 days later.
Question: Are politicians exploiting the situation in Durban? Even though President Mbeki urged South Africans to welcome foreigners his action of waiting 10 days to use the army to stop this says other wise. And where is the United Nations? What are they doing to help the situation? It seems when it is black on black violence in Africa, the United Nations is no where to be found.
Why is this happening? in the words of CBC's Bruce Edwards, who is in Johannesburg, said it's the worst violence in the country since the end of apartheid."Millions of immigrants, most from poor neighbouring countries, come here seeking a better life," Edwards said, "but with half of the country's own population still living in abject poverty, and the resources scarce, many fear this … may still get worse."
When there is no economic growth, the populace will revolt.
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