The relationship between China and Africa continues to deteriorate amid this COVID-19 pandemic, and I came across some news that adds more fuel to the fire. The following is from the Daily Mail UK.

Captain Cui Rongli recently pled guilty for attempted murder after throwing two Tanzanian stowaways overboard out of fear of catching the coronavirus. Amiri Salamu and Hassani Rajabu were put in a makeshift raft and given a life jacket, two bottles of water, and told to travel to shore using their hands. They drifted in shark-infested water for three days and two nights until washing up on the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa. Although both suffered from hyperthermia, thirst, and hunger, paramedics said they would survive.

The captain along with his six crew members pled guilty and was fined for their actions. As for the reason why the stowaways were thrown overboard, the National Police Authority advised the following:

“The accused were wary of the men and asked them to wear face masks in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

“The men refused to wear the face masks so were put in a separate room as their Covid-19 status was unknown and there was a fear by the crew about the virus.”

As I’ve stated before, African people will continue to learn the hard way about multiculturalism. Why these two men boarded the ship in the first place is another inquiry worth solving. So if you have any additional information on this story, feel free to comment below.

Click here to check out the full article.

Until Next Time…