Minister of Transport and Communications Mutotwe Kafwaya has ordered Zambian drivers of both trucks and buses to avoid traveling to South Africa with immediate effect following increased threats and acts of violence resulting from xenophobic attacks on other foreign nations by South Africans.

And Kafwaya has urged those who are already in that country to park their trucks in safe and secure places that the authorities may recommend until the security situation improves.

Meanwhile, the Zambian High Commission in South Africa has confirmed that a 33-year-old Zambian was stabbed on the forehead by unknown people in Gemiston.

On Monday, Zambia Association in South Africa (ZASA) president Ferdinand Simaanya issued an alert, urging all Zambians to avoid certain areas and confine themselves to their hotel rooms until further instructions were given by the Zambian High Commission in South Africa.

“With the information we have over the night (Sunday), please avoid the following areas today without fail: Primrose, Germiston, Boksburg, central Johannesburg and all surrounding areas. Those arriving by bus from Zambia, once you drop off in central Johannesburg, Kerk Street; go straight to your hotel rooms and wait for further instructions from the Zambia High Commission and the Zambia Association in South Africa. We have people in all these hot areas who will be giving us information as it happens. Please comply with this instruction. Thank you,” read the brief statement.

And in a press statement, Kafwaya stated that government would continue engaging the South African government to ensure security measures were put in place to safeguard the lives of all Zambian truck drivers who might be in that country.

“I refer to the security alert from the High Commission of the Republic of Zambia in South Africa dated Monday 26th August, 2019, the media release form the office of the Premier for Kwazulu Natal dated 1st September, 2019, and also from the Road Freight Association regarding the security situation for foreign truck drivers plying on the South African roads, the Government of the Republic of Zambia wishes to caution all Zambian truck owners, bus owners and drivers to; with immediate effect avoid travelling to South Africa until the situation improves and park all trucks, which are already in that country in safe and secure designated places that the authorities in that country may recommend until the security situation improves,” stated Kafwaya.

“In line with the Bilateral Road Transport Agreement between South Africa and Zambia on Security and Safety, the Government of the Republic of Zambia will continue engaging the Government of the Republic of South Africa to ensure security measures are put in place to safeguard the lives of all Zambian truck drivers who maybe in that country.”

Meanwhile, Zambia’s first secretary for press in South Africa Naomi Nyawali narrated that a Zambian national sustained life threatening injuries after a xenophobic attack.

“A Zambian national in Gemiston, South Africa has sustained life threatening injuries after being stabbed on the forehead by a group of unknown people. Daniel Lupiya, 33, was attacked in the morning today on his way home after dropping his niece at one of the schools in the area. According to the information availed to the Zambian Mission in Pretoria, Mr Lupiya was brutally attacked after a group of unknown people greeted him in the local dialect but could not respond. He was then brutally stabbed and left for dead but was rushed to Gemiston Hospital where he was attended to. His condition has been described as stable,” stated Nyawali.

“The assailants motive for his brutal attack has not yet been fully established but it is suspected that he was attacked because of the current wave of violent attacks against foreigners in South Africa. Mr Lupiya has been in South Africa for two months visiting his brother who lives in that country. The Mission would like to advise Zambians in South Africa to take extra precautionary measures to ensure that they are safe. It is advised that trouble spots or towns should be avoided as well as movement to other places except where it is absolutely necessary.”