By Patience Rashai
The South African (SA) Government has been roped in on xenophobic attacks, attracting a volley of criticism across different nationals over intolerance and culture of violence in the country which Government has left unbridled over the years.
Different nationals were in unison condemning and sympathising with fellow Africans over the savage attacks occurring in SA urging the Government to do more in order to put an end to these acts.
Funny Hamsem tweeted, “From 1960 to 1995, Nigeria donated over 61 million dollars to South Africa to fight apartheid. All civil servants in Nigeria donated 2% of their salaries to help SA fight apartheid the Mandela tax. Today, Nigerians are being butchered by the same SA.”
Becky Mhlanga said, “Our South African brothers and sisters have forgotten that the African continent has always been part of SA and its struggle against apartheid, Umkhonto we sizwe (MK) camps were scattered around the continent training to see a free SA and now we are their enemies? Did they have licenses to train their military personnel in our countries? Did they have documents to enter our respective countries? We can solve our crisis without killing, MAIMING & BUTCHERING our own brothers and sisters.”
Kenyan national, Author Sahwah also reiterated, “In Kenya, there is an estate that we nicknamed 'Small Lagos'. It's full of Nigerians. A few sell drugs, sell fake things, but we don't kill them. They are arrested and deported back to Nigeria. Why kill a brother and still go sleep hungry in your house?”
Zimbabwe political activist, Evan Mawarire said, “South Africa why! It will never be ok for us to kill each other, it will never be ok to burn and bludgeon people to death because we failed to have a conversation. My heart is broken. We must stop this before we finish each other.”
Meanwhile, South Africa Deputy Minister of Police, Bongani Mkongi has been quoted subtly justifying the attacks. “You won’t find South Africans in other countries dominating a city up to 80%... we cannot surrender South Africa to foreign nationals,” he said.
Adebayo Bankole Akintunde from Nigeria tweeted, “If an SA Official in charge of the Police feels this way about foreigners in his country, then you can rest assured Nigerians in South Africa are not safe. Who will protect Nigerians when xenophobic South Africans come for them? Please do something NOW!”
Whilst South Africans have constantly lamented over lack of jobs and limited facilities owing it to foreigners, it is astonishing how they have seemingly conceded to violence. Different nationals are questioning the Government’s quiet diplomacy to put an end to these acts.
