We need to be very careful about throwing around words like “xenophobia” and “genocide” when talking about this country.
South Africa has been rocked by “xenophobic” violence over the past two weeks that has seen 12 people killed and scores of businesses looted and torched in Gauteng.
Over 650 people have been arrested for the attacks that were allegedly sparked by the Sisonke People’s Forum.
The group - which is gatvol of high crime levels, unemployment, a lack of housing, and drugs - spurred hostel residents and truck drivers to take part in a shutdown, which they later claim went horribly wrong.
Even though they had
rallied support with flyers that read, “Enough is enough, on selling of drugs, on property theft, and on our work taken by foreign nationals”, Sisonke insists they never incited any of the “xenophobic” attacks
What’s done is done now and unfortunately Sisonke showed more than enough motive.
When one reads between the lines, though, the reports on the violence tell a different story.
For example, it’s worth pointing out that of the 12 fatalities, two were foreign and 10 were locals.
Police Minister Bheki Cele, after visiting the scenes of the mayhem, noted that local- and foreign-owned businesses had been targeted.
As much was confirmed by victims of the looting spree in Malvern, Jeppestown and Cleveland.
There, business owners insisted the attacks were criminal and not xenophobic in nature.
This is nothing new, of course. We’ve seen this play out countless times before.
A “peaceful” protest goes pear-shaped when opportunistic skollies hijack the crowd.
They take advantage of people’s frustrations, work fellow demonstrators into a lawless frenzy, mob
mentality takes over and it just gathers momentum.
But this was not the story that reached the ears of the African and the international community.
No, the next thing we knew, our neighbouring countries were condemning the “xenophobic” attacks; Zambia cancelled their match with Bafana Bafana over security concerns in SA, followed by Madagascar.
BOYCOTT: Two countries cancelled matches against Bafana due to safety concerns
We were forced to shut our embassy in Nigeria after a spate of attacks on SA businesses there in response to the violence at home.
Botswana issued a travel advisory warning its citizens to “exercise extreme caution” and remain vigilant at all times in SA.
African immigrants are now leaving the country in droves, with Nigeria reporting that 600 of its citizens are ready to be airlifted home.
And Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi says his country is busy processing the repatriation of 500 of his mense.
It’s a major international incident and didn’t look good with the World
Economic Forum for Africa being held in Cape Town this week.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement has been signed by 54 African countries, making it the largest trade group in the world.
Africa is big business and SA can’t afford to be left out in the cold.
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So let’s stop talking about xenophobia and genocide (attacks on white farmers) and let’s focus on the main issue: crime - which affects all of us, foreigners and South Africans, blacks and whites, alike.
Everyone is a target, and government is failing to keep not only immigrants, but also its own citizens safe.
According to the latest SA crime stats, 21 022 people were murdered in 2018/2019.
Also on the increase was robbery with aggravating circumstances, 140 032 cases; and malicious damage to property, 113 089 cases.
What the numbers suggest is, if crimes against foreigners are on the rise in SA, it could well be because crime in general is on the increase.
It’s a major crisis in this country, it’s a reflection of poverty and unemployment, and the failings of this government, and it’s completely unacceptable.
But it’s not xenophobic.