Xenophobia: South Africa’s President Booed At Mugabe’s Funeral

South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa was jeered and booed on Saturday during his speech at Zimbabwe ex-leader Robert Mugabe’s funeral before he tendered his apology for recent xenophobic attacks.

Mouthpiece NG recalls that there have been series of killing, witch hunting and attacks against foreigners in the country for the past few months. 

About 12 people have been reportedly killed this month while millions of properties have also been destroyed in a surge in violence and mob attacks against foreign-owned businesses in and around Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city.

A wave of jeers, boos and whistles interrupted Ramaphosa at the Harare national stadium as he started his eulogy at the state funeral for Mugabe, who died last week at the age of 95.

“I stand before you as a fellow African to express my regret and apologise for what has happened in our country,” Ramaphosa said after one of the organisers tried to calm the crowd.

The president comments were met with cheers and blasts of sound horns from the crowd.

South Africa, the continent’s second largest economy, is a major destination for other African migrants. But they are often targeted by some locals who blame them for a lack of jobs.

But with shops and homes burned and looted and clashes between armed mobs of looters and police, hundreds of migrants from Mozambique and Zimbabwe have fled to shelters.

Nigeria’s government has flown around 600 of its citizens home from Johannesburg after some of them were targeted in the violence.