Soul City Institute responds to xenophobia crisis

The Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication condemns the attacks on the most vulnerable in our society. Immigrants be they legal or illegal have escaped war, torture and poverty in their countries and seek refuge in South Africa. Our neighbours provided us with shelter and support during the struggle for democracy in South Africa. This often cost them dearly.

While we acknowledge that South Africa faces major challenges in addressing poverty, such violence and senseless attacks are not the solution to these problems and cannot be tolerated.

Soul City calls on South Africa's business community and civil society to collectively show a spirit of compassion. We call on government to do all it can to intervene effectively.

“Soul City, calls on all Africans to practice compassion and tolerance. Hatred only builds divisions and we need to heal not only South Africa but Africa. On 25 May we will remember the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and 45 years after its formation we need to build a unified sense of humanity”, says Soul City Director Kasthuri Soni.

Soul City has developed an action plan to assist. As an immediate response, Soul City will deploy its core project staff to the key hotspot areas to assist in the provision of key services such as cooking, feeding and medical care. In addition Soul City will make a monetary contribution as well provide key basic essentials for vulnerable children.

Soul City remains committed to developing key media interventions that enables communities to practice key human rights values such as respect, tolerance and equality for all.

For more information on Soul City's plan of action, please contact Bronwynne Pereira on 011 3410360 or 0829575349 ENDS

For further information please contact Mpume Ncube on 083 222 5184/