Haniff Hoosen, the ID spokesperson for police has slammed what he calls ‘Government's denialist approach towards xenophobia,' likening it to ‘many of the stances taken by the Mbeki administration.

‘Police Minister Nathi Mtethwa must now act decisively and with urgency. We have already seen the results of the denialist approach in 2008, when tens of foreigners were murdered and thousands more left homeless after the major outbreak of xenophobic violence,' Mr Hoosen says.

‘We can ill-afford a repeat of Government's lethargic response of 2008, which seems very likely considering that Minister Mtethwa is dismissing the threats of xenophobic attacks as rumours and hysteria and criticising those that are calling for action. The media has also been accused of spreading "rumours".'

Mtethwa said at a Xenophobia Summit held on Friday in Khayelitsha that high-ranking politicians had become "peddlers of fear" over xenophobia and criticised them for "spreading rumours".

‘It is extremely telling that less than 48 hours later a fleet of vehicles announcing anti-xenophobia messages organised by the South African Council of Churches (SACC) was stoned by residents of Phillippi just a few kilometres from where the Minister's Xenophobia Summit was held. Instead of running away from reality, Mtethwa should have used the opportunity to reiterate the message of African unity we have brought out of the Soccer World Cup,' says Hoosen.

‘In addition, he could have helped educate South Africans on the role played by our African brothers and sisters in the struggle years.'

- A Somali shopkeeper was recently shot and killed in Khayelitsha

- Two Somali shopkeepers shot and killed in Worcester last week

- Gang attempted to break into a Somali-owned shop yesterday in Phillippi

- Ethiopian-owned shops in Paarl were looted and another set alight

- Somali residents from the Langrug Informal settlement in Franschhoek were evacuated by police after their homes and shops were stoned

‘How much more proof does Mtethwa need before he does his job and takes decisive action? How many more vulnerable people must die before Mtethwa believes that the threat of serious xenophobic violence erupting again is very real? Sadly, Government appears to be as ill-prepared for future outbreaks of xenophobic attacks as it was in 2008,' Hoosen says.