South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday made arrangements to meet with African immigrants in order to stave off the international outcry that has greeted the spate of xenophobic attacks in his country.

Nationals of Pakistan and Bangladesh are also expected to be a part of the parley.

In a statement issued to journalists, Zuma said the meeting was to assure immigrants of their safety and also ensure that such attacks would not occur again in the country.

The release said that Zuma would “meet with organizations representing foreign nationals” as well as “leaders of organizations representing foreign nationals resident in the country at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria.”

“The President will meet with leaders representing foreign nationals from within Africa and also Pakistan and Bangladesh. The meeting is part of building lasting partnerships with stakeholders in the country to ensure that the shameful attacks on foreign nationals do not recur in the country. Foreign nationals have for years been successfully integrated into many communities in the country and government thus seeks to gain lessons from these successes,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has  said everyone should hold the South African authorities responsible for the unwarranted attacks on immigrants living within its border.

In statement signed by the NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, the labour union said that the attacks were unjustified and ought to be condemned by all well-meaning Africans.

Wabba noted that rather than vilification, immigrants living in South Africa should be commended for their contributions towards the South African economy.

“It is even more absurd that the attacks are directed against Africans from countries that played active roles in the struggle against apartheid. That the immigrants left their countries to do legitimate businesses or engage in legitimate employment in South Africa is certainly not their fault,” he stated.

He said further that South Africans should not blame the immigrants for the rising unemployment in the country but should rather work in partnership with them to ensure economic growth

The labour leader, however, put the blame of the attacks squarely on the South African government urging it to put in place measures to ensure that xenophobic attacks are halted forthwith.