ZANU-PF in South Africa has condemned the murder of Zimbabwean national Elvis Nyathi in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg.
Nyathi was burned to death by a crowd of people in the area. Locals had earlier held protests against high numbers of crimes in their area which they said were perpetrated by foreign nationals.
The party has called on the South African government and the ruling party to seek lasting solutions to this problem. It says law enforcement agencies should bring to book those committing crimes in the communities regardless of their nationalities.
The party says it reiterates that it doesn’t condone any criminality by any of the Zimbabwean nationals. It has sent condolences to the Nyathi family. The family has since been evacuated out of the area to a place of safety.
ZANU-PF’s SA spokesperson Kennedy Mandaza has pleaded with South Africans, especially the people of Diepsloot, to respect the rule of law.
Mandaza has expressed confidence in the police, and extended his sympathies to the Nyathi family.
“We extend our sincere and deepest condolences to the Nyathi family and all our people that are affected by the current wave of violence in Diepsloot. We respect and value the South African security services. We’re saddened by the developments and therefore appeal to the government and our fellow South Africans to make sure that we find a lasting solution.”
Police and Home Affairs ministers earlier visited the area to try and quell the tensions.
Team of detectives
Earlier, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said a team of detectives has been assembled to hunt down a gang alleged to be behind the spate of murders in Diepsloot.
He said seven South Africans were murdered since October last year by the same gang using the same modus operandi.
The murders led to a community protest that erupted this week where residents were complaining about the police’s inability to deal with the high crime levels in the township.
