THE Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has joined many voices condemning escalating violence, intimidation and displacement targeting migrants and refugees in the neighbouring South Africa.
The clergy’s warning comes as South Africa’s African National Congress secretary-general Fikile Mbalula this week issued a stern warning against vigilante groups such as March and March Movement, and Operation Dudula following their ultimatum that foreigners must have left South Africa by June 30.
March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, speaking on a televised broadcast, gave President Cyril Ramaphosa an ultimatum to address the South African nation before June 30 regarding her organisation’s demands on irregular foreigners.
Ngobese-Zuma said failure by Ramaphosa to adhere to the demands listed by March and March would result in South Africans taking to the streets en masse to locate all illegal foreigners and expel them from the country.
Zimbabweans constitute a very large number of foreigners in South Africa affected by the xenophobic attacks and threats.
In a pastoral statement, SACBC president Stephen Cardinal Brislin said attacks against migrants constitute “a grave assault on human dignity” and cannot be justified under anyone circumstances.
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“We unequivocally and without ambiguity condemn the acts of violence, intimidation, and displacement directed at migrants and refugees,” the bishops said.
“Violence against migrants can never be justified, tolerated, or accepted.”
However, while condemning xenophobic violence, the bishops also acknowledged that the unrest reflects deeper socio-economic frustrations affecting many South Africans.
The church leaders pointed to persistent unemployment, inequality, poor service delivery, corruption and failures in governance as key drivers behind rising tensions between locals and migrants.
“Competition for scarce resources such as jobs, housing, and public services has further intensified tensions between locals and migrants, particularly in economically disadvantaged communities,” the bishops noted.
The bishops highlighted concerns over porous borders, corruption within the Department of Home Affairs and irregular immigration systems, saying these factors have weakened public confidence in the state’s ability to manage migration effectively.
They further acknowledged public concerns over criminal activities allegedly involving some migrants, including human trafficking, drug trafficking and illegal occupation of buildings, while also criticising businesses accused of exploiting migrant labour and fuelling tensions with local workers.
“As people of faith, we return to the foundational truth that every person is created in the image and likeness of God,” the statement read.
The bishops also called on migrants themselves to actively participate in local communities, respect local customs and learn local languages as part of efforts to strengthen social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
Millions of Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa have frequently faced xenophobic attacks during periods of economic and political tension.
Previous outbreaks of violence in South Africa have led to displacement, loss of livelihoods and in some cases deaths among Zimbabwean migrants and other foreign nationals.