What do you expect me to apologize for? - Johannesburg Mayor on xenophobic attacks

Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba remains unapologetic over the assault and killings of other nationals in his jurisdiction which drew global outcry; insisting that they were “bound to happen”.

According to him, he did not regard the attacks as an accident.

Recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa left five dead in riots in Johannesburg, where foreign-owned shops were targeted; a recurrence of the 2015 attacks that left at least seven people killed.

Following this development President Cyril Ramaphosa issued an apology at former Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe's funeral in Harare on Saturday.

But in an interview on CNBC Africa, Mr Mashaba stated, it was not necessary for SA to apologize to other African countries but rather to their youth who have been rendered jobless due to the influx of counterfeit goods by foreigners and the collapse of their local manufacturing companies.

“There is nothing to apologize about. What do you expect me to really apologize for? It is unfortunate on what has happened but for me, I don’t regard this as an accident, it was something really bound to happen. We have a responsibility to get the president and home affairs to do something. What would anyone want me to apologise for? The country owes an official apology to the million unemployed South Africans who are today without jobs as a result of billions of counterfeit goods being brought illegally into the country, killing local manufacturing" he stressed.