Opposition MDC leader, advocate Nelson Chamisa has urged Africans to show love to one another, a fundamental principle of Ubuntu.
His remarks are a direct response to foreign nationals targeted violent attacks in South Africa.
In sync with remarks recently made by the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius S Malema, Chamisa observed that the violence was only targeting people of colour. Chamisa said:
We call upon our African brothers and sisters to show a full sense of brotherhood and sisterhood consistent with the timeless wisdom of Ubuntu. Brother against brother or Sister against Sister is inimical to Ubuntu.
Extremely disturbing are scenes and sights of violence and horrendous attacks in South Africa. It is time to take decisive action to protect all in South Africa and stop any attacks on fellow Africans. Priority must be given to individual security and stopping all manner and forms of violence.
While these attacks are routinely described as xenophobic, it is evident that they target black Africans. These are deliberate and systematic attacks based on race and country of origin rather than being foreign alone. The resulting conflict is terrible for our communities because they foment hatred and tensions between people. We need to correctly characterise what is happening in South Africa not as xenophobia but as Afrophobia, as the attacks are not necessarily against foreigners but against fellow black Africans.
He added that violence is not the panacea to socio-economic issues affecting African countries hence the need to contain it before it spreads to all facets of life.
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