Ramaphosa Dispatches Envoys to African Nations Over Xenophobia

(Bloomberg) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched three officials to seven African nations to discuss how the government is addressing a recent spate of xenophobic attacks in his country.

Former minister Jeff Radebe, Ambassador Kingsley Mmabolo and Khulu Mbatha, a veteran leader of the ruling African National Congress, will visit Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, according to a statement emailed by the presidency on Sunday.

“The special envoys will brief governments in the identified African countries about the steps that the South African government is taking to bring a stop to the attacks and to hold the perpetrators to account,” it said.

Clashes erupted in South Africa after a taxi driver was shot dead Aug. 27, allegedly by a suspected Nigerian drug dealer, in the capital, Pretoria. Scores of foreign-owned shops were looted and torched in the ensuing violence. The attacks spread to Johannesburg, leaving at least 12 people dead and more than 50 shops and several vehicles destroyed.

To contact the reporter on this story: Renee Bonorchis in Johannesburg at rbonorchis@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Gordon Bell at gbell16@bloomberg.net, Paul Richardson, Renee Bonorchis

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