Ethiopian gov’t warns nationals in S. Africa to take necessary precautions

ADDIS ABABA: September 2 (EI) – Ethiopians living in South Africa have been urged to take the necessary precautions following incidents of violence and looting on businesses owned by foreigners.

The urgent call was made by the Ethiopian Embassy in South Africa, as it advised the East African country’s nationals residing in South Africa “to distance themselves from any confrontation and conflict until the current situation is stabilized,” state-affiliate Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported on Monday.

The embassy also urged its nationals “not to wear expensive jewelries and if possible, to close their shops, until peace is restored.”

Xenophobic attacks have broken out in South Africa following a planned strike by truck drivers in that country protesting the presence of foreign nationals in the trucking business

The Ethiopian embassy also advised its nationals to report “any suspicious activity to police or to contact the embassy using telephone numbers 012 346 42 57 and 012 346 29 47.”

The Ethiopian government’s call came as the Zambian government also on Monday announced that it was engaging with the South African authorities to ensure security measures were put in place to safeguard the lives of Zambians and other foreign nationals.

Zambia’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Mutotwe Kafwaya, also advised Zambian truck drivers to immediately avoid traveling to South Africa until their safety was guaranteed.

The Zambian government’s call also came after an association of Zambians in South Africa disclosed that a Zambian national was on Monday “stabbed badly” in the head amid the current spate of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals residing in South Africa.

“We are grateful that the doctors attended to him speedily without any delay. He remains in pain,” Ferdinand Simaaya, president of the Zambia Association in South Africa, said in a release.

The association’s president also urged Zambians residing in South Africa to take extra caution following attacks on foreign nationals in that country.