This archive report was first published on 5 September 2019.
Published on September 5, 2019, a deadly wave of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa has overshadowed the World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa summit in Cape Town.
President Cyril Ramaphosa had hoped the summit would showcase his efforts to revive the country's ailing economy and boost intra-African trade. However, the backdrop of a week of violence, which has claimed at least seven lives and led to hundreds of arrests, has dominated proceedings.
The rioting has exposed dormant tensions between South Africa and Nigeria, the continent's two largest economies. Nigeria's Vice President boycotted the summit on Wednesday, and the country recalled its High Commissioner to South Africa.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni acknowledged that most South Africans disapprove of attacks on foreigners and emphasized the importance of freedom of movement for the continent's citizens. However, he also acknowledged that animosities were generating violence and that politicians were partly responsible.
Police reported 15 associated deaths since the riots began eight days ago in Pretoria, with Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela confirming seven were directly linked to the violence. Police had made 423 arrests, but the victims' nationalities have not been made public.
Threats of reprisals in Nigeria forced Pretoria to shut its embassy and consulate, while South African companies MTN and Shoprite closed stores in the country after retaliatory attacks.
Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor acknowledged a resentment-driven 'Afrophobia' and said the government was working to restore calm. She emphasized that the attacks were a complex phenomenon with root causes that were not easy to define.
