Mbeki says 2008 xenophobic attacks were part of a planned operation
Mbeki said there was an intelligence report which he was privy to as president at the time, that lists the people and the motives behind the attacks.
Fomer President Thabo Mbeki addressed students at the University of South Africa (UNISA) on 4 September 2024. Picture: @MbekiSchool/X
JOHANNESBURG - Former state president Thabo Mbeki has suggested the deadly 2008 xenophobic attacks in Alexandra were part of a planned operation to drive Zimbabweans back home to vote out Robert Mugabe.
Mbeki made the startling revelations on Wednesday during a conversation with students at the University of South Africa, in Pretoria.
He said there was an intelligence report which he was privy to as president at the time, that lists the people and the motives behind the attacks.
In March 2008, Zimbabwe held their general elections.
After Morgan Tsvangirai and Mugabe failed to get a 50% majority, a run-off election was announced to take place in June.
Meanwhile, on 12 May of the same year, a wave of xenophobic attacks flared up in Alexandra and later spread to different parts of the country.
Mbeki, who was president at the time, said the motives behind the attacks were to drive Zimbabweans back home to vote in the run-off elections.
"An intelligence report with names, dates and venues where people met and planned this and so on... It's presented as a xenophobic attack by the people of Alexandra - it was wrong... it was organised, systematic, for a political purpose. I'm seeing the mistake we made, we should've declassified that intelligence report."
Mbeki said the economic crisis in South Africa is not caused by foreigners, however, the country does need to strengthen its border management processes.