‘Xenophobic attacks hurt SA's image abroad'

Maseko also said that the government will make major announcements regarding the events in the next days. He nevertheless listed problems the Government has with the media, acknowledged the government's fault in communicating and pleaded for mutual understanding.

At least 40 people have been killed in Gauteng and more than 800 injured following a spate of attacks on foreigners by local people who accuse them of taking away their jobs, ‘stealing' their women and competing for houses and grants.

So far, 3000 Mozambicans have returned home and President Thabo Mbeki yesterday announced that the army will be deployed at suspected hotspots to help outstretched and under-equipped police quell the violence which continues to spread at an alarming rate.

Making headlines

Besides, crime, electricity crisis, ANC's internal power struggle, Jacob Zuma's troubles with the law and Mbeki's soft instance on Zimbabwe are also some of the South African aspects that are making headlines around the world.

But many African governments, including SA, have expressed concern about the ‘insensitive' angle of some of these news items, while many Africans continue to question foreign media's obsession with Africa, accusing Western media of dramatisation in order to discredit the continent.

Pictures of burnt bodies and babies screaming in the backs of their mothers and thousands streaming to police stations to seek protection from attackers were splashed in newspapers across the world and footages of attackers armed with machetes, axes and sticks beating unarmed foreigners were shown on TV worldwide.

But foreign media hit out at these accusations, saying some of the stories resulted from the follow-up of local media and others were carried from local newspapers. It has since been established that Financial Times story on xenophobic attacks was taken from the Afrikaans newspaper Beeld.

Ian McDonald, editor of SA Good News, said, “It is time that SA stopped seeing itself through the eyes of foreign media and started promoting a positive image of the country.

Wall Street Africa bureau chief Chip Cummins said, “In the US, there is an insatiable demand for more business news in Africa and a need for more coverage. Africa is presently interesting for businessmen and the economic growth at the sub-Saharan region is unprecedented.”

Cummins cited oil and its high price, huge investment opportunities and hot money pouring in, Johannesburg's sophisticated financial markets, and big deals such as MTN and Indian investors teaming up, among others, as some of the reasons why Africa is now exciting in the eyes of foreign investors.

So, every move made by Africa's leaders and its people is likely to be watched with eagle's eyes by quick-thinking investors from US to Europe and China.

Yesterday's speakers included Reuters' Barry Mood, BBC's Joseph Warungu, Virgin Atlantic's Paul Charles and Wadim Schreiner of Media Tenor.

For more information, go to www.internationalmediaforumsa.com.

For more:

• Has Government communication failed SA over xenophobic attacks? [poll]
  
• [IMFSA] Key communication trends [blog post]
  
• [IMFSA] Lessons learnt… ANC deputy president responds
  
• ANC deputy president condemns “ugly, barbaric” attacks [article]
  
• Communications chaos over xenophobia crisis [article]
  
• Aggregrating online coverage of xenophobic attacks [article]
  
• ‘Xenophobic attacks hurt SA's image abroad' [article]
  
• SA press freedom not under threat - Pahad [article]
  
• Launch of MediaClubSouthAfrica.com [article]
  
• [IMFSA] Lessons in how to deal with the media [blog post]
  
• [IMFSA] SA needs to capitalise on positive stories more [blog post]
  
• [IMFSA] Xenophobia threatens progressive society - Pahad [blog post]
  
• Business, tourism leaders call for decisive action on attacks [article]