World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has sharply condemned a renewed wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa, calling the targeted attacks a painful contradiction of the nation’s liberation history.
The statement follows a week of escalating unrest that drew hundreds of protestors to the gates of Parliament, displaced thousands of immigrant families, and left multiple foreign nationals dead.
Among the recorded casualties are at least five Ethiopian nationals killed in initial clashes, alongside five Mozambicans who died during subsequent violence in Mossel Bay.
In a pointed reminder of the continent’s shared history, Tedros noted that African nations stood deeply united to help South Africa dismantle apartheid, highlighting that Ethiopia famously supported Nelson Mandela in 1962 by issuing him a passport to travel during his exile.
“To see South Africa turn to xenophobia is a tragic betrayal of the country’s struggle for independence and freedom,” Tedros said. “Disagreements and grievances must be addressed by the justice system and the rule of law, never through vigilante violence and collective punishment.”
As humanitarian concerns grow over the thousands currently fleeing for their lives, the WHO chief urged immediate state intervention to restore order and protect immigrant communities.
“South Africa deserves better. Africa deserves better,” Tedros said. “Stop the hate. Protect the vulnerable. Uphold our shared humanity.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana