VZCZCXRO0676
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSA #1088/01 1430923
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220923Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4527
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 5621
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 9837
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001088 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF SOCI ASEC CACS SF
SUBJECT: XENOPHOBIC VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO SPREAD 
 
REF: PRETORIA 1061 
 
PRETORIA 00001088  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  Deadly xenophobic and inter-ethnic 
violence continued in Gauteng province on the night of 20 May 
and into the early morning hours, with more people seeking 
shelter at police stations, churches, and community shelters. 
 Violence also has spread to Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, though 
on a much more limited scale.  Government officials have 
strongly condemned the violence, but continue to intimate 
that "outside forces" are to blame and that South Africans 
are being used as pawns by those who want to destablize South 
Africa because they are jealous of its success.  In addition 
to outside forces, some ANC government officials have blamed 
the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) for fomenting unrest. 
Despite a joint national declaration that the ANC and IFP 
would work together to stop the violence, ANC leaders in 
KwaZulu-Natal continue to blame the IFP.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------ 
VIOLENCE GOES INTO SECOND WEEK 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) Deadly xenophobic and inter-ethnic violence 
continues to flare up in Gauteng province and is now being 
reported in KwaZulu-Natal province.  The official death toll 
varies from 22 to mid-30s, and though the number of displaced 
is hard to quantify, most press articles are quoting around 
10,000.  Alongside photos of the victims in every major 
newspaper, there are also numerous photos of unrepentant 
mobsters on rampages, all smiling, all armed, with some 
groups including children obviously under the age of 10. 
Gauteng Premier Sam Shilowa on 20 May admitted that the 
violence has an ethnic and criminal dimension, in addition to 
xenophobia. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The spokesperson for the provincial government of 
Gauteng said publicly on 21 May that the violence has 
subsided, adding the "situation is under control."  This 
statement was contradicted by NEC member Winnie Mandela's 
public warning that same morning to any foreigners who take 
the commuter trains, that the ANC had information foreigners 
would be targeted, and by fresh press reports about shops 
being looted on 21 May in Johannesburg.  Refugees also 
continue to seek shelter at police stations, churches or 
mosques, and community shelters. (COMMENT: Press reports note 
that much of the violence is being perpetrated in the middle 
of the night, so even if violence subsided during the day, it 
could easily flare up again on the evening of 21 May.  END 
COMMENT) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Local press reports in Durban also note that at 
least 100 hostel dwellers, armed with stones and bottles, 
converged on Durban's Umbilo suburb on 21 May, threatening 
foreigners and asking them to leave the province.  Umbilo 
police spokesperson Captain John Lazarus said the mob had 
been intimidating Nigerians since late 20 May.  The Mercury 
newspaper reported that at least six foreigners have been 
injured, one with an ax, though police have denied anyone has 
been injured.  The US Consulate in Durban also notes that 
some shops closed down early in the CBD today, though the 
reasons seem to include both fears of xenophobic attacks as 
well as a police sweep on informal traders.  No incidents 
have been reported in Cape Town, but the city of Cape Town 
has identified potential flashpoints and has additional 
police on standby. 
 
---------------------------------- 
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE STILL HESITANT 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Both President Mbeki and ANC President Jacob Zuma 
Q5. (SBU) Both President Mbeki and ANC President Jacob Zuma 
continue to speak out, condemning the violence.  Minister of 
Safety and Security Charles Nqakula declared that 
"specialized units" would be deployed (no additional 
information was given).  Robert McBride, the infamous 
Ekurhuleni metro police chief who is facing drunk driving and 
other charges was taken off suspended leave and put back on 
the force.  The government has dismissed suggestions that the 
military come out to quell any further violence.  Thus far, 
almost 300 people are reported to have been arrested in 
relation to the unrest in Gauteng. 
 
¶6. (SBU) As of 21 May, Gauteng Premier Sam Shilowa cautioned 
the SAG against declaring a state of emergency, saying the 
decision should not be a political one, nor should it be 
taken in haste.  He also said that declaring a state of 
emergency could become a "habit" and that everytime there was 
 
PRETORIA 00001088  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
a crisis, it would be declared an emergency.  He then 
undermined his own argument by adding that, "a state of 
emergency implies, as the Constitution states, that the life 
of the nation is threatened by war, invasion, or general 
insurrection, disorder, natural disaster, or other public 
emergency." 
 
-------------------------------- 
BLAME GAME TAKES POLITICAL SLANT 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The South Africa Institute for Race Relations issued 
a blistering public attack on President Mbeki on 21 May, 
saying the violence was a direct response to his government's 
policy failures.  SAIRR blamed "poor and ineffective 
governance" for creating "a perfect storm of lawlessness, 
poverty, and unfulfilled expectations that has now erupted 
into violence."  The SAG, for its part, is deflecting any 
criticism by using the common refrain that outsiders jealous 
of South Africa's success are directly involved in fomenting 
the violence to destablize South Africa.  Lorna Daniels, 
spokesperson for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), 
confirmed on 20 May that NIA is investigating the root causes 
of the xenophobic violence.  Both Gauteng Minister of Sport 
Barbara Creecy and provincial ANC spokesperson in Gauteng 
Nkenke Kekana also publicly declared that there was a "hidden 
hand" in the violence aiming at destabilizing South Africa's 
economic hub.  In public comments on 20 May, Deputy Foreign 
Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad rejected assertions  that 
xenophobia is the real cause of the violence, saying the 
current attacks remind him of the politically-motivated 
violence that erupted shortly before the 1994 election. 
 
¶8. (SBU) At the onset of the violence, the ANC publicly 
blamed rival Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) members for 
instigating the attacks in Alexandra.  On 20 May, IFP and ANC 
issued a joint national statement condemning the violence and 
vowing to work together.  However, not everyone seems to have 
been briefed on the joint declaration.  KZN Community Safety 
Minister Bheki Cele said the violence was political, blaming 
IFP members for orchestrating it.  IFP immediately issued 
another statement, saying it is (again) disturbed the ANC is 
using the events to score political points. 
BOST