Three weeks ago, the South African Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini was reported to have said, “We are requesting those who come from outside to please go back to their countries.”
These remarks are believed to have sparked off the current spate of xenophobic attacks on foreignness in South Africa. Many foreign owned shops have been burnt after everything of value was stolen.
One of the people who were attacked said, “People were telling us: “We will hit you on Monday. The king says you kwerekwere (foreigners) must go.”
Two Ethiopian brothers were critically injured when their shop, in a shipping container, was allegedly set on fire while they were trapped inside. One of the men died while in hospital. The other is fighting for his life.
As the attacks continued, King Goodwill Zwelithini castigated the media for “distorting” his comments that foreigners should leave the country. He accused journalists of fanning the flames by writing about Xenophobia in the same way they had written about the so called black-on-black violence in the 1990s.
The Royal Household Trust also said the King has no issue with foreign nationals and his meaning was lost in translation.
The main concern is not about what the King said or did not say but the South Africans who are killing their fellow Africans simply because they come from another country.
Many will recall that his is not the first time that Xenophobia has occurred in South Africa. Between 2000 and March 2008 at least 67 people died in what were identified as xenophobic attacks. In May 2008 a series of riots left 62 people dead, although 21 of those killed were South African citizens. The attacks were apparently motivated by xenophobia.
Apartheid and Xenophobia seem to be so tied to South Africa. You can not mention any of these names without thinking about South Africa.
Apartheid is an Afrikaans word meaning “the state of being apart”, literally “apart-hood”. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation in South Africa enforced through legislation by the National Party government, the ruling party from 1948 to 1994.
When Apartheid was dismantled, many Africans were happy because it signified a new dawn for the black people of South Africa. What seemed like the last of the great evils on the African soil was defeated.
But that seems not be the case. Just when Africa was forgetting about the harsh memories of Apartheid, another evil in the name of Xenophobia sprung out.
The word Xenophobia comes from the Greek words xenos meaning “strange”, and phobos meaning “fear”. Xenophobia is the unreasoned fear of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange.
But what is it that the South Africans fear from other Africans who visit their country? All foreigners know that not every person that they meet in the countries they visit will embrace them in a brotherly manner. Foreigners visiting other countries are easy targets to crooks and criminals because of their vulnerability.
What is happening in South Africa is a big shame and something that must be condemned by everyone. This is not different from the rest of the senseless terrors that have engulfed the continent.
This should also serve as a fine example to all the leaders that they should choose what words to say to their followers or citizens. the King might have been misunderstood or not but the finger is pointing at him. It is like the classic saying “if there is no fire, where is the smoke coming from?”.
On the other hand, even if the King said those words, would that be reason enough for anyone to start killing people and stealing their property? If South Africans do not want foreigners in their country and they want them to go back to their countries, they should give them time to leave.
Many of these foreigners have jobs, business, families and property. They can not just wake up and leave. They must be given time to close their business, pay off their workers’ dues, hand over resignation letters and be paid their money, and sell their property before leaving South Africa.
What is even more appalling is that this Xenophobia is only targeted at citizens from selected African countries. I have never read of any Italians, Portuguese, Americans, French or anyone from other "rich" countries being attacked in a similar way.
What a shame.
As the saying goes, everyone is a foreigner somewhere.
Image courtesy of winnond/fredigitalphotos.net
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