Xenophobic attitudes not a reflection of South African values

Xenophobic attitudes not a reflection of South African values
By Daisy Melwani


South Africa has denounced the recent acts of xenophobia in the country, and urged travellers not to take the African nation off their travel list.

The recent spates of violence saw five people killed, including three South Africans, and resulted in Australia, among others such as England and China, issuing travel warnings to potential visitors.

But according to South African Tourism’s CEO Thulani Nzima, the xenophobic attitudes do not reflect the country’s own values.

“This was not South Africa,” he told Travel Weekly at the INDABA 2015 trade show.

“There was a small number who spoiled it for everyone else. It was a sporadic incident, and contained completely.”

Nzima said that the issues do, however, need to be addressed in both the short and long term.

“In the short term, we need to give buyers and exhibitors reassurance of safety,” he told Travel Weekly.

Nzima also said that in the long scheme of things, changes and rebranding need to be addressed in order to reinforce the core values of South Africa, such as compassion and friendliness.

“We also need to deal with the deep-seated issues and causes of all of this,” he added.

The South African Minister for Tourism Derek Hanekom had a similar viewpoint when he addressed INDABA delegates at the Opening Ceremony on Saturday May 9.

“We are united in denouncing the spate of recent attacks on foreign nationals living in our country,” Hanekom said.

“These deplorable incidents of violence do not reflect who we are as a nation, or who we are as a continent.

“Thanks to the swift and decisive action of our government, and the support of the overwhelming majority of our people who respect human rights, the divisive intentions of those behind these attacks have been neutralized.

“We have also begun the work of addressing the underlying causes of the violence. South Africa will never allow the criminal actions of a few to derail the togetherness forged by the vast majority of our people in the past two decades of our democracy.

“We are determined that our country will always be open to welcome people from around the world.”

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

south africa

Latest News