South Africa’s Buthelezi Urges Zulus to End Immigrant Attacks

Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the leader of South Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party, called for an end to attacks against immigrants in KwaZulu-Natal province that have damaged the image of the Zulu people and its king.
“Chasing out other nations will not solve our problems because they are our problems,” Buthelezi said in a speech in Durban, where attacks against foreigners last week claimed at least five lives.
The image of the Zulu people and their king has been damaged, he said. Buthelezi’s IFP, which has its stronghold in the province, has been in parliament since 1994.
Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini was cited by the Durban-based Mercury newspaper on March 23 as saying in a speech that foreigners were depriving South Africans of economic opportunities and should return home.
While the king’s office said his comments were misinterpreted, Johannesburg-based broadcaster ENCA played an audio recording on Monday, which it said was Zwelithini speaking in Zulu, calling on immigrants to “take their bags and go back to where they come from.”
Zwelithini is due to speak at the same event.