A number of foreign nationals that were displaced as a result of xenophobia-driven violence across Johannesburg and Durban’s inner city and township areas have started returning to their adoptive communities, the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration reported on Tuesday.

“Reports that some foreign nationals have begun to return to their communities are encouraging.

“As the situation continues to stabilise, we call [on] foreign nationals who are still in shelters to work with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and the Department of Community Safety to ensure a smooth reintegration process. We further urge communities to open their arms to returning foreign nationals and to assist in their reintegration,” the committee outlined in a statement on Tuesday.

The IMC was established by President Jacob Zuma earlier this month to tackle the underlying causes of tension between communities and the foreign nationals and had been mandated with investigating the implementation of South Africa’s Labour Relations policies as they affected foreign nationals, as well as the application of laws that governed business licences.

It had also been tasked with examining the country’s border management practices and migration policies.

The IMC comprised the Ministers of Police, Home Affairs, Cogta, International Relations and Cooperation, Defence and Military Veterans, State Security, Health, Basic Education, Justice and Correctional Services, Trade and Industry, Human Settlements, Small Business Development and Social Development, as well as the Minister in the Presidency responsible for planning, monitoring and evaluation, who chaired the committee.

Of the seven people that had lost their lives since the outbreak of xenophobia earlier this month, the committee confirmed in a statement that four were foreign nationals from Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Bangladesh, while three were South Africans.

“Once again, the IMC, on behalf of the South African nation extends its deepest condolences to the families of those deceased and wishes those injured a speedy recovery,” it noted.

EARLY GAINS
Elaborating on progress made to date, the IMC outlined that government’s Operation Fiela – a multidisciplinary interdepartmental operation – had resulted in the arrest and charge of 265 suspects in relation to 150 cases of public violence around the country. 

In addition, 423 suspects wanted in connection with other crimes had been traced, while
165 undocumented migrants were arrested and were in the process of being deported to their respective countries.

Adding that it continued to work closely with the relevant foreign missions in South Africa to ensure the smooth repatriation of those who wished to voluntarily return to their home countries, government reported that it had, thus far, repatriated a total of 1 997 undocumented migrants from temporary shelters in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Of these, 911 were from Malawi, 316 from Mozambique, 753 from Zimbabwe and 17 from Tanzania.

“The total number of documented persons awaiting repatriation is 1 507 and we will continue to engage with their missions to ensure a smooth process,” said the committee.

Government added that it would, meanwhile, continue to actively support the displaced foreign nationals at shelters, led by the Department of Social Development, which was providing food, shelter and other necessities.

Psychosocial support in the form of trauma counselling and debriefing services had been provided to 812 individuals on site at the shelters, while group discussions had also been convened.

“We have, thus far, provided 2 000 mattresses, food, blankets, dignity packs, baby formula and clothing items to displaced persons at the various shelters,” government reported.

PROSECUTION DRIVE
Hitting back at media claims that only one person had been convicted on charges of xenophobic violence since the 2008 outbreak, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) indicated that 79 cases had, thus far, led to a conviction in this regard.

Sentences imposed included between three and six years’ imprisonment for public violence, up to nine years for robbery and housebreaking, up to 15 years for murder, up to four years for assault and malicious injury to property and between 15 years and lifelong imprisonment for four instances of rape.

“We want to reassure those who have plans to travel to South Africa that our government is in charge. The violence has stopped. We are now working hard to ensure that nobody within the borders of our country is victimised based on their country of origin,” the IMC held.

Government assured that the NPA had given priority to the prosecution of cases related to attacks against foreign nationals, with prosecutors to ask the courts to impose sentences of direct imprisonment.

“To ensure speedy prosecutions in these cases, the Department of Justice and the NPA have setup dedicated courts with magistrates, prosecutors and interpreters to address the situation in KwaZulu-Natal,” it stated.

In addition, the South African Police Service had allocated detectives within all provinces to expedite the investigations in cases related to violence against foreign nationals.

“We are not taking a business as usual approach; we want to ensure that the perpetrators of these vile acts are dealt with as speedily as possible,” it asserted.

Government added that it was encouraged that Africans continued to travel to South Africa, reporting that around 13 533 people from elsewhere on the continent had travelled to South Africa since the beginning of April.

“We are heartened that our brothers and sisters on the continent still consider our country a multicultural society that welcomes and promotes interaction among people of different backgrounds,” it stated.

OPERATIONAL SUPPORT
Providing further operational support to the committee, government had activated the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, which coordinated government’s response to emergencies of this nature and continued to operate on a 24-hour basis to coordinate the plans of the various government departments to restore peace and order in communities.

A technical committee comprising of the directors-general of all the affected departments provided critical support on the intensive work that needed to be done in dealing with the root causes of these tensions.

The IMC said it would, in the coming weeks, work with all affected parties so as to seek a lasting solution to the issues raised by communities and foreign nationals. 

“We are happy to indicate that the consultation processes have already begun,” it noted.

As part of these engagements, Zuma last week convened a meeting of stakeholders in South Africa to discuss the country’s migration policy and discuss how various sectors could work with government to promote orderly migration and good relations between citizens and other nationals.

The meeting was attended by business, trade union movements, arts and sports fraternities, religious leaders, community formations, youth formations, children, disabled person and traditional authorities.

“The participants were unanimous in condemning and rejecting the attacks against foreign national. They further pledged their commitment to work within their constituencies to build social cohesion.

“They also pledged to support the interventions of government in tackling genuine concerns raised by communities and foreign nationals,” said the IMC.

The President also invited over 50 representatives of foreign nationals residing in South Africa to a separate meeting, while another 77 public engagements were undertaken in this regard by the various Ministers and Deputy Ministers.

“The majority of the peace-loving South Africans were again unanimous in condemning the acts of criminality perpetrated against the foreign nationals. They have equally expressed their frustrations on issues such crime, especially drugs, illegal trading and illicit economic activity by some of the foreign nationals,” said government.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation had, meanwhile, engaged with African diplomats based in the country and would continue to reach out to reassure the global community that South Africa “is stable and open for business”.