South Africa: India-origin doctor writes to Indian news outlet for help

SOUTH Africa has been witnessing continuous violence across the country ever since its former president Jacob Zuma has been imprisoned on charges of contempt of court for 15 months. The unrest started on July 7 after Zuma started his jail term and more than 110 people have lost their lives in the violence while 1,200 have been arrested.

The Indian community in the southernmost African nation has been affected in the violence and urges for help have come out of the country. An Indian-origin doctor in Durban, the largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, from where Zuma hails and which has seen the worst side of the violence, has written to an Indian news channel to bring to the world’s attention the threat that his professional colleagues are facing in the region.

ALSO READ: South Africa: Racial tension prevails in Durban township

'Don't know if I or my family will be alive tomorrow'

“Hello. I am writting to you not knowing if I or my family will be alive tomorrow. I am a young Indian man whose great grandparents came from India as indentured labourers as slaves to work in the sugar cane plantations under colonial rule. I am a medical doctor working in Durban, South Africa. The Indian community is coming under attack in civil unrest and war. Weapons have been stocked piled in. All the food sources malls and wholesalers have been burnt. The fuel stations have been targeted to prevent movement and blown up. The communication network towers are being targeted so that we won't be able to get the message out,” the doctor wrote in his letter to Zee News.

“Myself and other doctors are unable to get to our patients in the hospital which is even worse with the COVID pandemic. Please get the message out, we need help. Genocide has been planned in Durban Kwa Zulu natal, South Africa. We are getting trapped with no flights out. Please get this word out. Please. Pray for us before our network and internet gets cut. I love my country but bad people are using good people to hurt us. Please help,” the individual added before signing off as “Dr from South Africa”.

The United Nations in South Africa expressed concern over the violence that has hit the country hard.

Indian external affairs minister spoke to South Africa counterpart

Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday (14) spoke to his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor who told him the government was doing whatever it could to enforce law and order and restore normalcy at the earliest.

The South Africa government has also called in more troops to tackle the situation.

“Appreciate the conversation with South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor today. She assured that her government was doing utmost to enforce law and order. Early restoration of normalcy and peace was the overriding priority,” Jaishankar tweeted while he was in Tajikistan to attend key meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Sanjay Bhattacharya, secretary of the ministry of external affairs, also met the South African high commissioner to India Joel Sibusiso Ndebele, sources told PTI.