A man holds a placard reading "Africa is all for Africans" before a march in Cape Town, South Africa, against immigrant attacks in South
Africa, April 22, 2015. AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam
JOHANNESBURG - Immigrant shopkeepers have been under attack in parts of South Africa.
Last month, Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini, the leader of South Africa's Zulu people, told his
followers that foreigners in South Africa should pack up and leave. President Jacob Zuma's eldest
son, Edward, joined in. He said that foreigners were "taking over the country" in a "ticking time
bomb."
Then last week, attacks in Durban townships exploded and have continued since. Dozens of
immigrants in Johannesburg and other cities closed their shops Wednesday as cellphone text
messages warned that Zulu people were coming to kill immigrants. It was not known who sent the
text messages.
One message referred to an attack that "will be more destructive than ever before," and warned
immigrants to stay indoors. "Take (it) serious our friends r killed like Cockroaches."