King Misuzulu urges Zulus not to attack foreigners

AMAZULU King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has appealed to his subjects and South Africans at large not to resort to violence against foreign nationals, warning that immigration concerns should be addressed through lawful and peaceful means rather than bloodshed.

His remarks come at a time when foreign workers, including Emaswati employed in neighbouring South Africa, are increasingly expressing fears over intensified immigration enforcement operations and growing anti-foreigner sentiment.

The monarch’s intervention comes amid growing tensions surrounding anti-illegal immigration campaigns in South Africa and fears of escalating attacks against foreign nationals ahead of a planned June 30 protest action by groups demanding the removal of undocumented migrants.

Speaking in Durban during commemorations of the International Day of Yoga on Sunday, King Misuzulu urged restraint and cautioned citizens against taking the law into their own hands.

“Let there be no bloodshed. Do not beat these people up. They are here because they are poor,” the king said in a direct appeal to the Zulu nation.

The king revealed that he had personally engaged leaders of anti-immigration movements to ensure that planned demonstrations remain peaceful and within the confines of the law.

While acknowledging frustrations among South Africans over unemployment, crime and pressure on public services, the monarch stressed that attacking foreign nationals would not solve the country’s challenges.

Instead, he called on government authorities to strengthen border management and address immigration concerns through democratic and legal processes.

The king also warned that violence against migrants could have unintended consequences for South Africans living and working elsewhere on the continent.

“South African people are not looking good in the whole of Africa right now,” he said, adding that many migrants leave their home countries simply in search of better opportunities to support their families.

Gcinile Motsa, a Liswati working in one of the factories in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, recently told this publication that raids had become so common that employees were often forced to abandon their workstations and hide to avoid arrest.

“The more time we spend hiding from the police, the less money we earn. Lately, we have been receiving very little because we spend more time avoiding raids than working,” she said.

Motsa said the campaign against undocumented immigrants had created uncertainty among foreign workers, with some already having been arrested during enforcement operations.

Her concerns were amplified following a recent late-night operation by South African authorities at Chinese-owned textile factories in Newcastle, where 26 undocumented workers were arrested.

Those detained included workers from Eswatini, Malawi and Lesotho.

With the June 30 deadline set by anti-immigration activists approaching, many foreign workers remain anxious about their safety and future, while hoping that authorities and community leaders would prevent tensions from descending into violence.