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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Reporter
ZULU King, Goodwill Zwelithini, will today host a meeting (imbizo) with traditional leaders in a bid to stop the ongoing xenophobic attacks on African immigrants in South Africa.

The violent attacks started a few weeks ago in KwaZulu-Natal after King Zwelithini reportedly expressed anti-immigrant sentiments at a moral regeneration rally in Pongola, northern KwaZulu-Natal. His remarks, which were also supported by President Jacob Zuma’s eldest son, Edward, “ignited the fires of xenophobia.”

The Zulu king was also heard on a Durban radio station, Gagasi FM saying that immigrants were “lice” and should all leave South Africa. Zwelithini has, however, been backtracking since the start of the anti-foreigner attacks which swept through Durban.

KwaZulu-Natal premier, Senzo Mchunu yesterday urged locals not to attack foreigners.

Mchunu announced in Durban that King Zwelithini would hold the imbizo with politicians, chiefs, indunas and the public at one of the stadia in the city.

Durban has been hit by a spate of attacks on immigrants, which have so far left six people dead and thousands including Zimbabweans, displaced.

Mchunu said King Zwelithini was considering a direct broadcast to urge calm.

“We’ve met with his majesty twice. He is extremely unhappy. He rejects the attacks. He’s expressing concerns at some of the activities carried out by foreigners,” said Mchunu.

He said Zwelithini’s speech last month, where he reportedly said “foreigners must pack their bags and go home,” was misinterpreted. He said the king meant to call on government to address his concerns regarding foreigners.

Mchunu said it was not a call for attacks to be carried out on foreigners.

The premier’s announcement follows a march against xenophobia in Durban on Thursday, which was marred by violence with police having running street battles with the anti-foreigners lot.

Mchunu said there appeared to be three issues that were upsetting locals.

These were that informal traders in the townships could not compete with the prices charged by foreign-owned businesses, criminality that foreigners were involved in and a lack of respect shown by foreigners.

Mchunu said his provincial government would set up a seven-member panel to investigate locals’ complaints against foreigners and how they can be addressed. The panel would be headed by Judge Navi Pillay.

South Africa’s International Relations Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane yesterday assured African heads of diplomatic missions that her government was dealing with the recent spate of xenophobic attacks.

“We said that the violent attacks against foreign nationals in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gatenby are despicable and that the South African government condemns them in the strongest terms possible,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

“We took the African diplomatic corps into confidence on the practical measures that are being taken by the security agencies to bring to justice those who are responsible for the violence and related criminal acts.”

The meeting followed the xenophobic attacks that had swept through KwaZulu-Natal, before spilling over into Gauteng in recent days.The attacks, which started in the townships around Durban and spread to Pietermaritzburg and Johannesburg, have left at least five people dead and scores, among them Zimbabweans, injured and thousands displaced.

Nkoana-Mashabane said President Zuma had announced a series of measures aimed at bringing the violence, looting and displacement of individuals and families to an end.