With no official records of affected Mozambicans, the Maputo government monitors the situation daily. The opposition criticizes diplomatic failures and calls for joint action between the two countries. Mozambique's Labor Minister considered the situation of attacks on migrants in South Africa to be “very regrettable” and hoped it would be resolved “very quickly”.
“It is a regrettable situation, quite regrettable, and we are all very saddened by what we are seeing,” Mozambique's Minister of Labour, Gender and Social Affairs Ivette Alain said, quoted by the media this Saturday. The official said she has been in daily contact with the Mozambican labor representation in South Africa and so far, there has been no official news of Mozambican workers being affected.
Ivette Allen said, “Our hope is that the situation will be resolved very quickly and we will continue to monitor this process and ensure that our employees are not affected by this situation being experienced in South Africa.”
The Labor Minister appealed for peaceful coexistence, reminding that today we live in a world where people are on the move and foreigners are “everywhere.”
He concluded, “No matter where we are, what country we are in, we must promote a world of peace.”
Protests and social tensions targeting migrants have been recorded in South Africa; At the beginning of the month, a march against immigration ended in attacks on businesses owned by foreigners in the Eastern Cape province in the east of the country.
On Thursday, Mozambique's ambassador to South Africa, Maria Gustavo, called on Mozambicans to remain calm in the face of the situation. The official appealed to Mozambicans who may be victims of this situation to contact a nearby national consular representation to “clarify what may have happened”, keep themselves away from ongoing demonstrations and high-risk locations, and follow information shared by community leaders in that country or communicate directly with the Mozambican embassy if there is a problem.
Leader of the opposition Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos) called for joint action between the Mozambican and South African governments on the same day, pointing to failures in consular and diplomatic action.
On Wednesday, the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) criticized the executive's silence and proposed the creation of a parliamentary commission to resolve the problem with South African authorities.
Also on Tuesday, the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) appealed for immediate intervention by the South African government, expressing concern for the safety of Mozambicans in that country.
According to Human Rights Watch, repeated incidents of xenophobic violence have been recorded in South Africa, notably incidents in 2019 that led to the deaths of at least 18 foreigners.
Source: Lusa