Somali Community leadership in South Africa condemn escalating xenophobia

The Chairperson Somali community Board in South Africa, Amir Sheikh has condemned the attacks against the community and their properties amid escalating xenophobia attacks.

Speaking at gathering in Johannesburg town, the chairperson called for peace and urged the hosting community to stop destruction and looting properties of their fellow Africans.

Amir said many African countries had sacrificed lives and times for the freedom of South Africa during its struggle for independence.

When South African need the assistance of Africa, they were all assisted, when Nigeria attained its independence under the first prime minister el-haji Isack Abukar, they (Nigeria) give them (South African) the support they needed, Ghana the first country got independence give them support, Madela was trained to use a gun by an Ethiopian, it is Morocco that economically supported them with money," he reminded. "We are not foreigners in an African land, we cannot be foreigners in own land. Today South African has invested in Nigerian, in Ghana, Sierra leone, in Kenya, all over, we are not attacking them, why are they attacking us."

He urging fellow foreigners not to be intimidated by South Africans and stay the areas.

"As an African, we must stand, please don't run away Tokombis, let's defend what we got rights for," he said.

Hassan Abdulle