Opinion / Columnist
African countries assisted South African independence; payback is Xenophobic actions: blacks on blacks' violence
14 Apr 2024 at 18:55hrs | Views
I quote from Byo24: Former ANC MP and Abantu Batho Congress Councilor in eThekwini, Makhosi Khoza, says South African natives have been shortchanged. Close quote. This is a statement that could cause loss of Zimbabwean lives in South Africa, volatile and insinuating. This utterance by a politician who knows best how to use the vehicle of language to attract a violent hunt down of Zimbabweans in densely populated townships and marketplaces across SA is very disturbing.
Ms. Makhosi Khoza is blowing the whistle so that the violent Operation Dudula is back in the streets of SA chasing Zimbabweans like rats and mice. Ms. Makhosi Khoza is incensed that a higher position is held by a Zimbabwean, Barbara Mghutshini, a professional who serves as a Deputy Director General in the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in KwaZulu Natal. Makhosi Khoza's reckless political statement, riding on xenophobic emotions, is making Ms. Barbara Mghutshini a target.
While it would make sense to an average African to tell him/her that Africans are very kind people, their philosophy of Ubuntu embraces all that is African and all those living in Africa. It is difficult to imagine that Africans are enemies of themselves, their prejudices on Africans are shocking. Africa is perceived as socialist minded peoples who for centuries lived above narrow confines of race and tribal affiliations: never to see the othering on economics, race, creed, religion terms, but humanity first and foremost: Ubuntu. Ms. Khoza has insinuated a statement that rides over xenophobic emotions, can easily excite operation Dudula to hunt down Mghutshini, capture her, tie together her hands and feet, pour benzine over her body, set her alight to burn to death: or was it her intentions?
Looking back at the history of time, before South Africa became independent, Zambia and Tanzania were frontline states that assisted South Africans financially, educationally, and militarily and otherwise. Proper tribute and appreciation of their sterling contributions have never been paid due enough to Nigeria by the African continent: the invaluable assistance it gave to South African refugees during dark days of apartheid white South Africa must give special recognition and be remembered. Back then, Nigeria had enough resources to share with refugees from South Africa who needed Nigeria's assistance most. Talk about South African students in Nigerian universities back then: They were allowed to live in students' hostels because they had nowhere to go, while all Nigerian students were forced out of the Hall of Residents during semester holidays.
The mere mention of Nigerians, just like Zimbabweans are synonymous to criminals, thieves: according to black South Africans: citizens from these two countries are viewed as lesser humans. The post-apartheid traumatic experiences must have blocked important historical details about how committed most African countries were in freeing South Africa, including Somalian under President Siad Barre. I was a student in Zambia then, listened to the late President Siad Barre made a speech at the Organization of African Union in 1973, regarding apartheid regime of South Africa. Press fast forward: Which black South African recognizes a Somalian citizen eking a living in Johannesburg townships with respect and dignity due to a human being today?
Xenophobia takes place in the streets of South Africa, black Africans chasing black Africans calling them rats and lice. Xenophobia in South Africa is violence and lethal, insinuated partly by the highest institutions. "Let's deal with lice and rats in our midst once and for all!" said the late King Zwelithini. The mob in Durban, Johannesburg areas and some other parts of South Africa took to the streets and murdered dozens black foreigners, inflicted fear on thousands of them, an unforgettable experience. African foreigners who left their countries of origin for several reasons known to them; why they would rather they lived rough in South Africa than their country of origin. Emanuel Sithole from Mozambique died the most painful death at the glare of the social media and onlookers: Benzine was thrown on him, was set alight and he burnt to death. His brutal and violent death must put all Africans to shame.
The framing of foreigners as MA kwerekwere says it all. "You do not belong here." If it was possible, South Africans would have wanted to say South Africa does not belong to the African continent, "we are a first world country after all, what do black Africans north of us want here?" Only Black South Africans and the global white population belong to South Africa and can come and settle in South Africa and not lice and ticks from "the North of us", (Sub-Sahara) of African origin.") Do South Africans lack history lesson about how SA got its independence? What makes South Africans insensitive and unkind to the "othering" just to put it mildly?
South African refugees, black and white alike were all over the planet.
Black and white South Africans alike, found themselves as refugees all over the world. There was a South African at every country and continents of this Earth, one would also say with equal truth; every country of this earth was a South African refugee who could not return to South Africa because of Apartheid policies back then. All South Africans refugees, black and white were given special treatment wherever they lived. However, the independence South Africa, the second last colony to gain independence in the African continent have their values and principles regarding humanness and Ubuntu found wanting. Both, black and white South Africans' hatred for Africans north of them is skin deep, hated and intolerant towards them.
It has escaped the memories of most South Africans that they received global assistance to get independence. When Nelson Mandela died, President Kaunda was merely invited to the funeral without much diplomatic details. He had to beg to speak he insisted to give a speech at Nelson Mandela funeral committee: This a president, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda who played a pivotal role in the struggle for southern African countries under colonial yoke. Kaunda was no longer relevant in the larger scheme of things. He wanted to pay tribute to his friend Nelson; Kaunda was not in the agenda of speakers in that global funeral whose speech would have been wholly befitting.
The pattern of South Africa's development is not different from the rest of Africa.
Independent South Africa belongs to Africa; the patterns of developments replicate shortfalls and serious mismanagement policies like the rest of us, independent countries north of them. There is corruption at every arm of the government starting with the former President Zuma who amassed public funds of a staggering 20 million rands to refurbish his multi-women Nkandla private residence. Recently, a SA former Minister of Defense; Masipa Nqakula is accused of gross corruption scandals rocking the government. Again, criminality is worst in South Africa, Johannesburg is one of the most dangerous places and the most unequal places in the world; a rich South African is very rich and a poor South African is very poor: talk about the comparison between Congo and California, said Naomi Klein.
The former President Zuma was quick to say the root problems of Syrian war and its refugee crisis emanate from Europe. But the Arab Spring started in the African soil; lest we forget; the former President Jacob Zuma was signatory to a resolution 1973 that permitted Western countries to bomb Libya and the subsequent death of Colonel Marmor Gadhafi; a sustained criticism of Zuma's foreign policy. The absence of the rule of law in Libya since the death of Gadhafi has led to thousands of migrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, most of them from the African continent, fleeing chronic political, and economic conflicts of decades that have led to poverty, destitution, and famine.
What has the African Union said and done about the magnitude of migration of Africans perishing in the Sahara Desert and in the Mediterranean Sea? European countries are talking being invaded by Africans in Lampedusa. An insurrection, an invasion! they said. Desperate young Africans are fleeing their place of birth, seeking some opportunities not available in their countries. Painfully still, they are treated much worse off in South Africa than in Lampedusa: They were not hunted down and burnt to death because they entered the EU. "It is unprecedented for a fellow African state to be signatory of resolution 1973 to pass, so that western nations could bomb Libya. To this day, Libya has not recovered since the death of Gadhafi. This is how South Africans shamefully treats its brothers and sisters north of it.
Pornography of violence
In one highly publicized incident in April 2022, a 43-year-old Zimbabwean national and father of four was killed in Diepsloot by groups going door-to-door demanding to see visa permits from foreign nationals. The attackers drove the victim out of a place where he hid the violent crowd, beat him and set him on fire. The violence has continued unabated; it is alleged that the burning of the Yeoville Market in Johannesburg on 20 June 2022 was carried out by persons targeting migrant shopkeepers". In these brutal murders, resident South Africans assemble in numbers to watch people being tied their hands, poured benzine on then and set them alight to burn. This is what we mean when we say brutal violence in South Africa is unimagined by common; it is watching a pornographic movie that has become addictive. Acts of killings by burning while taking videos for the purpose of media and on-line distribution; to spread raw violence: violence has been internalized and normalized in most highly dense societies across South Africa. Jean-Pierre Misago, a researcher at the African Center for Migration and Society in Johannesburg, estimates that at least 350 foreigners have been killed in brutal and barbaric xenophobic violence since 2008.
Ms. Makhosi Khoza should know that without the contribution of African states, we would not be speaking about Uhuru in South Africa today. Politics is a dirty trade. However, for Makhosi Khoza to use a vehicle of words with a narrow anti-African instinct with xenophobic intents at the precise moment of elections to attract the critical mass, is an ecstatic mistake; this is how cheap politics can go; a classic stupidity in stealth's.
Ms. Makhosi Khoza is blowing the whistle so that the violent Operation Dudula is back in the streets of SA chasing Zimbabweans like rats and mice. Ms. Makhosi Khoza is incensed that a higher position is held by a Zimbabwean, Barbara Mghutshini, a professional who serves as a Deputy Director General in the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in KwaZulu Natal. Makhosi Khoza's reckless political statement, riding on xenophobic emotions, is making Ms. Barbara Mghutshini a target.
While it would make sense to an average African to tell him/her that Africans are very kind people, their philosophy of Ubuntu embraces all that is African and all those living in Africa. It is difficult to imagine that Africans are enemies of themselves, their prejudices on Africans are shocking. Africa is perceived as socialist minded peoples who for centuries lived above narrow confines of race and tribal affiliations: never to see the othering on economics, race, creed, religion terms, but humanity first and foremost: Ubuntu. Ms. Khoza has insinuated a statement that rides over xenophobic emotions, can easily excite operation Dudula to hunt down Mghutshini, capture her, tie together her hands and feet, pour benzine over her body, set her alight to burn to death: or was it her intentions?
Looking back at the history of time, before South Africa became independent, Zambia and Tanzania were frontline states that assisted South Africans financially, educationally, and militarily and otherwise. Proper tribute and appreciation of their sterling contributions have never been paid due enough to Nigeria by the African continent: the invaluable assistance it gave to South African refugees during dark days of apartheid white South Africa must give special recognition and be remembered. Back then, Nigeria had enough resources to share with refugees from South Africa who needed Nigeria's assistance most. Talk about South African students in Nigerian universities back then: They were allowed to live in students' hostels because they had nowhere to go, while all Nigerian students were forced out of the Hall of Residents during semester holidays.
The mere mention of Nigerians, just like Zimbabweans are synonymous to criminals, thieves: according to black South Africans: citizens from these two countries are viewed as lesser humans. The post-apartheid traumatic experiences must have blocked important historical details about how committed most African countries were in freeing South Africa, including Somalian under President Siad Barre. I was a student in Zambia then, listened to the late President Siad Barre made a speech at the Organization of African Union in 1973, regarding apartheid regime of South Africa. Press fast forward: Which black South African recognizes a Somalian citizen eking a living in Johannesburg townships with respect and dignity due to a human being today?
Xenophobia takes place in the streets of South Africa, black Africans chasing black Africans calling them rats and lice. Xenophobia in South Africa is violence and lethal, insinuated partly by the highest institutions. "Let's deal with lice and rats in our midst once and for all!" said the late King Zwelithini. The mob in Durban, Johannesburg areas and some other parts of South Africa took to the streets and murdered dozens black foreigners, inflicted fear on thousands of them, an unforgettable experience. African foreigners who left their countries of origin for several reasons known to them; why they would rather they lived rough in South Africa than their country of origin. Emanuel Sithole from Mozambique died the most painful death at the glare of the social media and onlookers: Benzine was thrown on him, was set alight and he burnt to death. His brutal and violent death must put all Africans to shame.
The framing of foreigners as MA kwerekwere says it all. "You do not belong here." If it was possible, South Africans would have wanted to say South Africa does not belong to the African continent, "we are a first world country after all, what do black Africans north of us want here?" Only Black South Africans and the global white population belong to South Africa and can come and settle in South Africa and not lice and ticks from "the North of us", (Sub-Sahara) of African origin.") Do South Africans lack history lesson about how SA got its independence? What makes South Africans insensitive and unkind to the "othering" just to put it mildly?
South African refugees, black and white alike were all over the planet.
It has escaped the memories of most South Africans that they received global assistance to get independence. When Nelson Mandela died, President Kaunda was merely invited to the funeral without much diplomatic details. He had to beg to speak he insisted to give a speech at Nelson Mandela funeral committee: This a president, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda who played a pivotal role in the struggle for southern African countries under colonial yoke. Kaunda was no longer relevant in the larger scheme of things. He wanted to pay tribute to his friend Nelson; Kaunda was not in the agenda of speakers in that global funeral whose speech would have been wholly befitting.
The pattern of South Africa's development is not different from the rest of Africa.
Independent South Africa belongs to Africa; the patterns of developments replicate shortfalls and serious mismanagement policies like the rest of us, independent countries north of them. There is corruption at every arm of the government starting with the former President Zuma who amassed public funds of a staggering 20 million rands to refurbish his multi-women Nkandla private residence. Recently, a SA former Minister of Defense; Masipa Nqakula is accused of gross corruption scandals rocking the government. Again, criminality is worst in South Africa, Johannesburg is one of the most dangerous places and the most unequal places in the world; a rich South African is very rich and a poor South African is very poor: talk about the comparison between Congo and California, said Naomi Klein.
The former President Zuma was quick to say the root problems of Syrian war and its refugee crisis emanate from Europe. But the Arab Spring started in the African soil; lest we forget; the former President Jacob Zuma was signatory to a resolution 1973 that permitted Western countries to bomb Libya and the subsequent death of Colonel Marmor Gadhafi; a sustained criticism of Zuma's foreign policy. The absence of the rule of law in Libya since the death of Gadhafi has led to thousands of migrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, most of them from the African continent, fleeing chronic political, and economic conflicts of decades that have led to poverty, destitution, and famine.
What has the African Union said and done about the magnitude of migration of Africans perishing in the Sahara Desert and in the Mediterranean Sea? European countries are talking being invaded by Africans in Lampedusa. An insurrection, an invasion! they said. Desperate young Africans are fleeing their place of birth, seeking some opportunities not available in their countries. Painfully still, they are treated much worse off in South Africa than in Lampedusa: They were not hunted down and burnt to death because they entered the EU. "It is unprecedented for a fellow African state to be signatory of resolution 1973 to pass, so that western nations could bomb Libya. To this day, Libya has not recovered since the death of Gadhafi. This is how South Africans shamefully treats its brothers and sisters north of it.
Pornography of violence
In one highly publicized incident in April 2022, a 43-year-old Zimbabwean national and father of four was killed in Diepsloot by groups going door-to-door demanding to see visa permits from foreign nationals. The attackers drove the victim out of a place where he hid the violent crowd, beat him and set him on fire. The violence has continued unabated; it is alleged that the burning of the Yeoville Market in Johannesburg on 20 June 2022 was carried out by persons targeting migrant shopkeepers". In these brutal murders, resident South Africans assemble in numbers to watch people being tied their hands, poured benzine on then and set them alight to burn. This is what we mean when we say brutal violence in South Africa is unimagined by common; it is watching a pornographic movie that has become addictive. Acts of killings by burning while taking videos for the purpose of media and on-line distribution; to spread raw violence: violence has been internalized and normalized in most highly dense societies across South Africa. Jean-Pierre Misago, a researcher at the African Center for Migration and Society in Johannesburg, estimates that at least 350 foreigners have been killed in brutal and barbaric xenophobic violence since 2008.
Ms. Makhosi Khoza should know that without the contribution of African states, we would not be speaking about Uhuru in South Africa today. Politics is a dirty trade. However, for Makhosi Khoza to use a vehicle of words with a narrow anti-African instinct with xenophobic intents at the precise moment of elections to attract the critical mass, is an ecstatic mistake; this is how cheap politics can go; a classic stupidity in stealth's.
Source - Nomazulu Thata
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
