To His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa

President of the Republic of South Africa

Dear Mr President,

We know that you are as distressed as we in the churches are at the injury to people and the wanton looting of the property of those perceived to be migrants that we have seen in recent days. In a number of areas, the police seem to be overwhelmed.  One fears for the chaos that will ensue if this spreads completely out of control of the law enforcement agencies.

Mr President, would you please consider making a national plea for calm, firmly telling the people to stop the inhuman acts of destroying, burning and looting of property and the hurting and even killing of others. Tangible acts by government to show that you have plans to provide people with jobs and hope need to be accompanied by a warning that targetting foreigners will drive investors away from the country, and far from improving the lives of our people, these attacks will accelerate the crisis of unemployment and hunger.

I consistently appeal for support for your new dawn, and you, your family and your administration are constantly in the churches' prayers.

God bless you.

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba

Anglican Bishop of Cape Town