Ghana’s High Commissioner to Namibia and Botswana, Abdul-Rahman Harruna Attah,has labeled the recent xenophobia attacks in South Africa “as a lack of leadership”.
Speaking exclusively with Business Outlook Africa, on the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the veteran journalist, publisher and author explained that the corrupt nature of some recent leaders coupled with some actions he believes promotes xenophobia has inspired the young people to do what is being done now.
“ The leadership in South Africa has failed, to be honest.Yeah, you see the faded glory. It’s all diminishing. It’s all lack of leadership. The black leadership after Mandela and possibly after Thabo Mbeki, they’ve lost their way. They’ve lost their way. We had traditional rulers like Chief Buthelezi. Sorry to say what I’m going to say, but Chief Buthelezi was something of a, no I won’t use the word, but people like him were the people who were encouraging the xenophobia. Yeah, they were encouraging the xenophobia. And the current crop of leadership too are so corrupt. Right now, the young people have taken inspiration from that poor leadership.So the whole country is in a rut.” he described
On the response of continental and regional bodies to the situation in South Africa, Harruna Attah expressed measured satisfaction, acknowledging that while they have issued statements, he believes far stronger action is needed,including the recall of ambassadors from South Africa as a diplomatic signal.
“Yeah, I’ve heard of a statement of protest, but that was all. But they should be more robust than that. By now they should have recalled their ambassadors.They should have been more robust, but they haven’t. They should have recalled their ambassadors.,” he stated.
Harruna Attah also called for the situation to be dealt with urgently, describing South Africa as too significant a player on the continent for the current tensions to be allowed to persist.
“ The fences have to be mended.There’s no question about it. South Africa is too important a country for us to be on these terms, for it to be on these terms with the rest of Africa.” he added
His comments come amid a severe wave of xenophobic violence and organized anti-immigrant protests in South Africa which has escalated into mass demonstrations, physical attacks, and the targeted displacement of sub-Saharan African migrants.
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