Xenophobic South Africa is a shame.

When South Africans fought against the whitemans’ injustices during the apartheid era, everyone understood as the white man had imposed alot of unfair laws against our black brothers back then. The release of Nelson Mandela in the early 90s announced the new dawn of life for the people not only in South Africa but the southern Africa as a whole. It announced the morning star rising, announcing time for an end to violence and killings that had characterised a South Africa pre-1990.

However, the events of the past few weeks involving native south africans killing and beating fellow africans from sorrounding countries who migrated to that country for a better living have taken us back to the apartheid days. It is sad that South Africans feel that violence against people from other countries is the solution to their social and political problems. These demeaning actions are orchestrated by lazy xenophobic elements who wrongly portray foriegners as the cause of thier economic problems in South Africa. Countries in the west are luring immigrants who inturn boost their economies. Its a shame that majority of South Africans are peace loving people but scenes of xenophobic violence threaten to cast doubt over how well prepared the south african government is, interms of security during the 2010 FIFA world cup, the World cup which will attract the same foriegners whom the native south africans are now despising. South Africans travel and continue to do so to so many countries around the world. Would they be happy to be treated the way they are treating migrants in Johannesburg. Sadly, the officials in South Africa have not acted strongly to this madness by their people. The deployment of the army to assist police in crowd control has had to take international pressure.

I bet Thabo Mbeki in his usual drama will say, this is not a disgrace.The allegations that the government knew in January 2008 that there was trouble of xenophobic nature blewing will cast doubt over Thabo Mbeki’s leadership. Why did the government let the situation get out of hand notwithstanding the intel they they received? I call upon all south africans to respect the rule of law and human rights and stop venting their frustration for unfulfilled ANC government promises on innocent foreigners. I worry for my sister and other Malawians in Johannesburg who must be feeling worried everytime they walk along the streeets to and from work. South Africans must remember that the struggle against apartheid could not have been won without the support from neighbouring and other african countries who are now being condemned to death by barbaric people.