Zulu king denies triggering S.Africa anti-immigrant attacks

Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini on Monday denied whipping up xenophobic hatred in South Africa after he was accused of triggering violence that has left at least seven people dead and forced thousands from their homes.

“This violence directed at our brothers and sister is shameful,” he told a tribal gathering of Zulus in Durban. “I’m certain that the people who were listening to my speech (last month), understand Zulu well and did not need interpretation.”

Zwelithini had made an angry speech last month blaming immigrants for rising crime and saying they must leave the country, in an outburst seen as encouraging the spate of attacks on Zimbabweans, Somalians, Malawians and other foreigners. But he told a tribal gathering of several thousand Zulus in the port city of Durban that he had been misrepresented.

“My speech… was directed at the police, calling for stricter law enforcement, but that was never reported,” he said. “The public was instead given another side of my speech, which had been twisted and misrepresented. “This violence directed at our brothers and sister is shameful.”

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