By Paul Simao
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African ruling party leaderJacob Zuma on Friday comforted the children of African migrantsdisplaced in a wave of xenophobic attacks, pledging to helpthem and their families rebuild their lives.
"We are here for you," the ANC leader told Olga Khoza as hecoddled her 4-month-old son, Amadinho, at a police stationsouth of Johannesburg that has become a makeshift shelter forhundreds who fled their homes in fear of violence earlier thismonth.
Zuma listened carefully as the Mozambican woman explainedhow her family lost all their belongings when mobs went on therampage in their shantytown two weeks ago. They have slept onthe ground, first outside and now in tents.
Dozens of migrants have been killed and tens of thousandsforced into shelters around the country. The violence, whichhas subsided, targeted newcomers to South Africa as well asthose who had been here for decades.
Analysts say competition for housing and jobs combined withsoaring food and fuel prices raised the tensions that led tothe riots. Unemployment in South Africa hovers around 24percent.
Carole Kaumba-Makoma, a 9-year-old girl from the DemocraticRepublic of Congo, was among those attacked.
"They beat her and tried to take her clothes," a grim-facedZuma told Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of NelsonMandela, after the child recounted her tale. Madikizela-Mandelaaccompanied Zuma on his visit.
He later told reporters he was saddened by the plight ofthe refugees but added the government, African NationalCongress and civic groups were "on top of the situation".
But there is growing criticism of the government's responseto a crisis that has tarnished South Africa's internationalimage and stoked concern among investors worried aboutpolitical stability in Africa's largest economy.
At least 50,000 Mozambicans and Zimbabweans have left SouthAfrica as a result of the unrest. Zimbabweans are the largestimmigrant group in South Africa, accounting for an estimated 60percent of the 5 million migrants in the country.
South Africa's population is about 50 million.
Relief agencies and U.N. officials say they are shocked atconditions in the shelters where thousands of migrants nowlive. Many are sleeping outside in temperatures that drop tonear freezing at night.
Government assistance to the refugees, they say, has beendisappointing, with most blankets, clothes, food and medicalsupplies coming from non-governmental groups and individuals.
While condemning the violence and promising to bring thoseresponsible for it to justice, President Thabo Mbeki has kepthis distance during the crisis. He has not been seen venturinginto the townships or shelters since the violence began May 11.
Mbeki has long been accused of pursuing pro-businesspolicies that have fuelled an economic boom but left millionsof mostly black South Africans living on the margins some 14years after the end of apartheid.
Zuma, who defeated Mbeki for the ANC leadership late lastyear and is the frontrunner to succeed him next year, hascalled on government to focus more of its energy fightingpoverty.
(Editing by Mary Gabriel)
