By Dr Masimba Mavaza| South Africa is not a virgin to Xenophobic attacks. And South Africans are not all after foreigners. There is a large chunk of good South Africans who cannot stand the barbaric attack against Zimbabweans. Some South Africans are demon possessed. violence in South Africa existed before the end of the apartheid in 1994 and there lacks evidence that it will end anytime soon. In view of the effects of xenophobic violence on foreigners in South Africa. It is true that what regularly happens in South Africa is a reflection of the challenges inherent in African countries, but the South Africans have exhibited a great hatred of their neighbour Zimbabwe. While South Africa has become ‘notorious’ for ‘failing to curb attacks on foreigners working and living in its country, this notion neglects the bigger picture. It is true that South Africa must do more to protect desperate people migrating from their native countries. But the crux of the matter is grounded on why South Africa is a favourite destination for many.
Overall, the South African leaders have failed to deliver on their promise of a peaceful and prosperous South Africa thus migration levels continue to soar as people naively search for greener pastures and security.
As usual the grass looks greener in another area.
South Africans barbaric behaviour rendered apartheid visible, helping to make the world aware of it and to spur resistance. Africa looks at South Africa to solve the plight of often persecuted migrants in South Africa, where they are blamed for social and economic ills.
For some strange reasons the Zimbabweans have become the most targeted migrants in South Africa.
There are many Zimbabweans in South Africa whose stories are told and others whose are obscured? Targets of xenophobia are subjected to the violence of estrangement. Xenos: the stranger, the outsider, the “alien”. To be called xenos, to be made xenos, is to be categorised as illegitimate – to be pushed beyond the bounds, beyond citizenship, beyond moral concern. Many foreigners are called illegal immigrants even if they are well documented.
Many Zimbabweans have been killed simply for being Zimbabweans.
Many people try to blame their country for not lifting a finger in this situation. We do have an embassy in South Africa but the
Embassies are locations in foreign countries where diplomats are based. They help citizens seeking to communicate with their home country and local nationals who wish to travel to the country the embassy represents. We again have a consulate in Cape Town. Consulates are branch offices of an embassy. It is not the duty if an embassy to protect or repatriate nationals. The embassy is open for assistance but we can not blame the embassy for not protecting its nationals. No person abroad is completely immune from unexpected and sometimes unfortunate events. So, if you find yourself in an emergency or life changing event, getting to know your home country’s embassy while abroad in the foreign country can help ease some of your worries. The embassy does not keep a list of its nationals who are in the foreign land it is the duty of an individual to contact his embassy.
On September 9 2019 at
Tsolo Community Hall in Johannesburg’s Katlehong township,around 250 people, were hosted after being displaced by anti-foreigner violence that hit South Africa’s financial capital. This violence did not stop. What we see is institutionalised xenophobic attacks. Violence targeted at foreign nationals and their properties in South Africa has left hundreds of them displaced from their homes. Nearly 200 of them, including children, were housed at the Tsolo community hall, in Katlehong Township in the city of Ekurhuleni east of Johannesburg. The embassy sent its staff to monitor the situation. As long as the host country is acting according to their law the embassy can not interfere in a lawful action of its host.
Where the action is unlawful the embassy can only contact the host and present a complaint and appeal for the law to be followed..
Zimbabweans are struggling to accept that they are now destitute and have to depend on the mercy of well-wishers.
The pain of seeing your child or husband roasting in the flames with cheering South Africans pouring more petrol is not bearable.
The actions of these South Africans is caused by lack of action by their leaders. They come to justify enactments of violence against bodies that are present, that are real, that are living, but do not belong.
A Zimbabwean fights the flames engulfing a shack in Ramaphosa who finally found his voice and condemned the behaviour of the thugs running the Dudula project. Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans have been displaced, their shops looted and burnt down in the weeks of violence that swept the country without a word feom senior official from ANC.
South Africa has experienced brutal cycles of xenophobic violence. These have led to horrific murders, and to displacement of thousands of cross-border migrants, mostly from our own continent, Africa. Worse, they have led to fear and suspicion and terror. They have torn at the cloth of our constitutional inclusiveness, shredding and tattering it.
The most recent wave began in late January There is a resurgence of anti-migrant protests, looting of foreign businesses and assaults: bodies stoned, beaten, burned and killed. Children orphaned women widowed and raped all this os aimed at Zimbabweans. He rejects what he calls lame excuses given by the locals for chasing them away.
Mathew Ncube a Zimbabwean victim of the Xenophobic attacks said “They came to us and they said, we don’t want Zimbabweans here because you cause problems as foreigners. You are committing crimes and taking our women. They said, you took our wives. You took our jobs and you do nothing here.” Ncube feels trapped because he can mot go home now. His business has been destroyed.
Many Zimbabweans are living in fear. Once they see locals gathering in the streets ready to attack those who are Zimbabweans they run leaving behind all they have worked for.
They will observe from a distance as their property is looted. John Banda a Zimbabwean said “the trauma he experienced on the night he escaped the angry residents will haunt him for life.
Another Zimbabwean woman said “I’m a married woman. So, I had to carry my baby, in my hand to run away during the night around two o’clock mid-night because it was just like we are in a war zone.”
Others weren’t able to escape. Gabriel Ziwewera from Zimbabwe was cornered by the locals while trying to run away. He was beaten to a pulp and left for dead with all bones broken. He could only utter one word which came out of the swollen lips bandaged head. He only managed to say WHY? He repeated this several times. “It’s better I rather die in my country than dying in your South Africa country like if I’m crazy. I’m not crazy. I’m not happy the way South Africa is treating us. They are treating us bad. I lost my cars. I lost my shop, even my equipment. I lost everything.” Matemba Kida said.
The South African government has condemned the attacks and vowed to bring them to an end. Few have been arrested. However, for most of these foreign nationals, this is too little too late.
The government is “dragging its feet” over xenophobic attacks and is failing to make it a priority,
In this situation the de ministers should come up with a “coherent strategy” to combat xenophobia. tackling xenophobia should be a “top priority” It is surprising that there is no planning to see what more could be done to eradicate racial and social inequality.
“There are lots of people from Zimbabwe who need supporting and for that reason a coherent xenophobic strategy is a top priority and the South African government must act urgently.
South African government is dragging its feet.
They seek to understand it xenophobia but are they taking action and is this a top priority?
“We can not keep quiet any longer. South African government must take this case seriously.
Zimbabweans must be careful we only live once in this world.
As a nation we will never forget what these thugs are doing. Our country is getting better.
The blood of those being killed for nothing will not dry until it is avenged.