Pretoria - In the wake of the attacks on foreign nationals in the past two weeks, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko has launched a national campaign focused on behavioural change.
The “We are One Humanity Campaign” is a long term sustainable response to the attacks against foreign nationals.
Its objectives are to combat these attacks through celebrating diversity and embracing difference as well as developing empathy through public education.
The campaign will be rolled out between now and October so that its impact lasts beyond this period.
It will take various forms such as outreach programmes that will create platforms for constructive discussions and seek practical solutions.
The campaign will also see mass education to further interrogate and deal with the root causes and future prevention of these attacks as well as an African dialogue where representatives from the African continent will engage with each other.
The campaign is being championed by the Police Ministry through the Civilian Secretariat for Police and includes other civic organisations.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign in Durban on Sunday, Minister Nhleko said South Africans of all hues have come out strongly against the attacks on foreign nationals in the country.
“And now that the situation is stabilising, government is turning its attention to a long term and sustainable intervention that would address the underlying mind-sets that motivated these attacks in the first place,” said Minister Nhleko.
According to the Minister, these attacks highlight the lingering destructive colonial legacy that South Africans continue to confront which comprises unity and cohesion that the country desperately need.
“We are positively confident that this campaign will not only address the current situation, but imprint a lasting impression and legacy on the social cohesion of this country and how we relate to foreign nationals,” Minister Nhleko said. – SAnews.gov.za
