Two Zambian families have been caught up in the xenophobia of violence that has gripped South Africa and left 23 foreigners dead.
Chief government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti who is also information minister said one family had its home windows smashed and is now living in fear.
The minister said the other Zambian family is locked up in a flat too scared to come out.
The Minister told ZNBC news that Zambians living in South Africa who feel insecure should come back home.
He said there is economic and political security back home.
Mr. Mulongoti appealed to the South Africans to allow foreigners living in their country to wind up their business before they return home.
He said it is not necessary for Zambians to continue living in fear and should get in touch with the Zambian High Commissioner in South Africa to facilitate their return home.
Mr. Mulongoti was sad that while many African countries had assisted South Africa during the apartheid era, its citizens have became violent towards African foreigners living there.
The Minister explained that if the violence in that country is not checked it might impact negatively on that country’s economy.
Meanwhile, Southern Africa Development Community, SADC, Heads of Mission accredited to South Africa are concerned at the escalating xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in that country.
The ambassadors and high commissioners told held a meeting to discuss the problem and resolved to ask the South African government to find a permanent solution to the crisis.
Zambia’s High Commiossionmer to South Africa, Leslie Mbula, who chaired the meeting, expressed solidarity with the victims and challenged the South African people to accommodate people from other countries in the region because of a common shared history, culture and destiny.
Mr Mbula has, however, thanked the South African government for the tireless efforts being made in assisting the victims of the violence.
This is according a press statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka and signed by Second Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in South Africa, Philip Chirwa today.
Eleven Ambassadors and High Commissioners attended the meeting which took over three hours.
Present at the meeting were heads of mission from Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique.
Others included ambassadors and high commissioners from Swaziland, Tanzania,Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Recently, foreign nationals visiting South Africa have been attacked by South African robbers.
“I would like to challenge the South African community to be accommodating towards their brothers and sisters in the SADC region with whom they share a common history, culture and destiny. I also would like to urge the government to find a permanent lasting solution to the crisis more so that it affected African brothers and sisters,” Mr. Mbula said.
