SW Radio Africa<\/a> (London)<\/p>\nAlex Bell<\/p>\n
14 December 2011<\/p>\n
\nThree South African women have been honoured for helping foreigners in their communities, including Zimbabweans affected by xenophobia.<\/p>\n
Soweto born Florence Mashu, Alexandra Township’s Randzani Babadzali and Thandi Sangweni from the Soweto Concerned Residents group, were all awarded last week, during an event organised by the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum (ZEF).<\/p>\n
Mashu is known for helping Zimbabweans for a number of years, including spearheading feeding campaigns to help those displaced by the xenophobic violence which rocked South Africa in 2008.<\/p>\n
The violence saw thousands of foreigners flee communities across South Africa where angry locals turned violent. More than 60 people died.<\/p>\n
The South African women were honoured during a two day symposium hosted by the ZEF, which focused on encouraging social cohesion in South Africa.<\/p>\n
The event, held on the last two days of the international 16 Days of Activism against gender violence, focused on how women can encourage tolerance in their communities.<\/p>\n
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