Social media ablaze with fury against South Africa xenophobia

South Africans burn tyres as xenophobic violence resurfaces. (AFP)

Netizens have reacted angrily to xenophobic attacks in South Africa as authorities try to control the wild animosity directed at foreigners.

Messages advocating peace and unity across Africa have flooded social media platforms after video footage of violence showing business centres suspected to belong to foreigners being torched and images of heavily guarded Johannesburg Central Business District filled, streets blocked with stones, ashes, and billowing smoke went viral.

Most of the social media users commenting on the antipathy under the hashtag #SayNoToXenophobia have called for quick action by the South African government against the perpetrators of the xenophobic attacks to ensure safety for foreigners.

Others have warned South Africans to consider the consequences of their actions bearing in mind the repercussions their fellow citizens abroad would face if other countries were to retaliate.   

In reaction to attacks on his countrymen in South Africa, Nigerian Afro-Fusion star and multi-award winning star, Burna Boy angrily declared on Twitter that he would never set foot in the country until South Africa government addresses the problem.

“I have had my own xenophobic experiences at the hands of South Africans and because of that, I have not set foot in SA since 2017. And I will NOT EVER go to South Africa again for any reason until the SOUTH AFRICAN government wakes up…” tweeted Burna.

South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the arrest of those who were involved in the attacks and urged his security chiefs to monitor the violence and find a way to stop it as soon as possible.

More than 150 arrests have been made since Monday when the attacks escalated.