Publications
Partners
South African High Commissioner in New Zealand Vuyiswa Tulelo says at present no South Africans are reported to have been involved in mass shootings at two Christchurch mosques full of worshipers attending Friday prayers.
"At this point we have reached out to the foreign ministry and they have not confirmed the nationalities as of yet.
"We have no information about any South African being involved," she told Radio 702 breakfast show host Bongani Bingwa on Friday morning.
This comes after multiple people were killed in mass shootings at the mosques.
A man who claimed responsibility for the shootings left a 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto in which he explained who he was and his reasoning for his actions. He said he considered the killings a terrorist attack, News24 reported.
READ: BREAKING: Multiple deaths in shootings at 2 New Zealand mosques
Tulelo said she was saddened that an incident of this nature had taken place in a house of prayer.
"It is sad to see how the world has decided to divide itself along religious lines," she said added.
She further expressed concern about the growing anti-immigrant and Muslim sentiment across the world.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden described the attack as "one of New Zealand's darkest days" and said the events in the city of Christchurch represented "an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence".
- This is a developing story. Follow News24's live update on this story for the latest developments.
KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.
- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter
