The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) has cancelled a business exploratory mission to South Africa which was scheduled for May 2015 because of xenophobic attacks.
The week-long business mission that was scheduled for East London in Durban was meant to explore business opportunities for Namibia businesses in South Africa.
In a statement Tuesday, the NCCI chief executive officer Tarah Shaanika said they cannot continue organizing a business mission to South Africa while South Africans are telling others that they do not want to do business with foreigners.
“Those who went to set up legal businesses in South Africa from a number of African countries have been killed in cold blood during the past week and we cannot tolerate that,” Shaanika said.
Condemning the xenophobic attacks, Shaanika said the NCCI was calling on the international community to take serious actions to force the South African Government to guarantee the safety of foreigners living in South Africa.
“We are not impressed with the manner and speed at which the South African Government dealt with such barbaric acts committed by their unruly citizens. What happened in South Africa is an embarrassment to Africa, especially because it is not the first time that South Africans attacks foreigners living in their country,” he said.
According to Shaanika, no official business delegation will be sent to South Africa until they are assured that the South African Government is in full control of its unruly citizens.
This is the first time an organization in Namibia has openly condemned the xenophobic attacks in South Africa as well as withdrawn any business association until the situation was under control. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
