Vodacom condemns xenophobic violence

Shameel Joosub, Vodacom Group CEO

South Africa has again been gripped by widespread xenophobic violence. These acts of violence are disgraceful as they seek to undermine some of the positive gains of our democracy.
The news headlines and scenes on social media on this are heart-rending. As Vodacom Group Chief Executive Officer, my colleagues and I would like to join other South Africans in the unequivocal condemnation of the violent attacks against foreign nationals. 

Crucially, I would like to appeal to all who are taking part in these deplorable acts of violence to stop doing so. As South Africans we need to transcend national interest and reject discrimination of all forms and embrace the spirit of Ubuntu. Most importantly, I urge South Africans not to take the law in their hands but to report incidents of crime to the South African Police Service.

A key focus area for us is ensuring the safety and well-being of all Vodacom employees working in our various countries throughout the continent. We are monitoring developments in each of these countries closely. So far, things are calm and we hope that this remains the case.

Lastly, Vodacom commits itself to working closely with government to improve our social and national cohesion efforts and to finding lasting solutions to stem the tide of xenophobia in SA .