The leader of the opposition Mozambican Democratic Movement Party (MDM) on Monday called for a review of public policies aimed at boosting employment and attracting foreign investment in response to recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
“It is really necessary to revise public policies, not only those that promote employment but also those that attract foreign investment, and this also includes the industrialization of agriculture,” Lautaro Simango said at a press conference in Maputo.
The position of the MDM, the third-largest opposition party, comes against a backdrop of rising social tensions in South Africa, which have already forced more than 700 Mozambicans to return following xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals – a situation that has led to at least nine Mozambican deaths and highlights the need for a domestic response to the return of workers, particularly in the neighboring country's mining and agricultural sectors.
For the politician, it is imperative to develop a strategic policy for water management and conservation, along with the development of agriculture, which necessarily includes the construction of dams.
“Strengthening technical education is also very important and necessary to ensure a skilled workforce,” Simango concluded.
At least 16 of the 169 Mozambicans repatriated over the weekend from the towns of Mossel Bay and Hermanus in South Africa's Western Cape province are minors, the government said Sunday, victims of xenophobic attacks.
According to a statement issued by the State Information Office, Mozambican diplomatic and consular missions in South Africa are closely monitoring the situation and continuing to provide necessary assistance to affected citizens.
In Gauteng province, incidents involving foreign nationals were reported during demonstrations in Daveyton, on the outskirts of Johannesburg, but there were no reports of Mozambique being affected.
In the statement, the government also indicated that, in the KwaZulu-Natal province, the Mozambican Consulate in Durban is monitoring reports of concern from members of the Mozambican community about the climate of fear associated with recent anti-immigration rhetoric.
With these 169 people, added to the 545 who arrived in the country on Tuesday, the number of Mozambicans who returned last week has increased to 714.
South African protesters have set a June 30 deadline for all foreigners to leave the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, according to information previously provided by the Mozambican government.
On 1 June, the government reported that more than 800 Mozambicans living in the town of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape had been victims of xenophobic attacks two days earlier, which had so far claimed nine lives.
Xenophobic tension is a recurring problem in South Africa. Many immigrant communities have been deported by their own countries, such as Mozambique and Nigeria, and South Africa has faced international criticism for xenophobia. The most serious incidents in recent times occurred in late 2019, in which 18 foreigners were killed, according to Human Rights Watch data.
About 300,000 Mozambican citizens live in South Africa. The Presidency said in a press release that “thousands” had already returned to the country due to the violence.
Source: Lusa