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NCCI shelves business mission to South Africa

With the recent spate of Xenophobic attacks taking place in South Africa, the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) has cancelled a business exploratory mission to South Africa which was scheduled for May 2015.

According to a press statement released on Tuesday, the week-long business mission was planned to include South Africa Namibia Business Forum meetings in Johannesburg, East London and Durban, to explore business opportunities for Namibian businesses in South Africa and push for increased investments by South African companies in key sectors of manufacturing, tourism and logistics.
However, the Chamber announced that the ongoing xenophobic attacks in that country make the mission impossible.
“We cannot continue organising a business mission to South Africa while South Africans are telling us 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,” said NCCI CEO Tarah Shaanika.
“The NCCI strongly condemns the xenophobic killings and displacement of many foreigners in South Africa and calls on the international community to take serious actions to force the South African Government to guarantee the safety of foreigners living in South Africa,” he added.
“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 attack foreigners living in their country,” he said
According to Shaanika, no official business delegation will be sent to South Africa until the NCCI is assured that the South African Government is in full control of its unruly citizens. Also this week, the Law Society of Namibia (LSN) expressed its sympathy with the families of those who have lost their lives as a result of the ongoing xenophobic violence saying it supports the efforts of those members of South African civil society who are trying their best to stop the victimization of foreign nationals.
“We also support the efforts to restore order, and secure the safety of those persons most vulnerable to the violence, by the members and leadership of the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA), the wider South African legal profession and law enforcement agencies.”
“The Law Society of Namibia calls on all the people in South Africa to take decisive action and to do everything in their power to bring an end to these attacks, to foster understanding among its people, including those who come from beyond its borders and to promote respect for the rule of law and the rights of all human beings.”

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