Is it Xenophobic attacks or act of crimes?

Opinion Piece / 11 September 2019, 19:30pm / Edgar Legoale

Edgar Curtis Legoale

Many would want to argue that because of our apartheid system back then, we had nowhere to go than to be accommodated by our African brothers and sisters in their different African countries, therefore we must not treat them the way we are doing now.

To say the truth, that’s very sound argument there but are we really satisfied and happy with the things they are alleged to be doing in our country? We understand the situation is different from that of us before, because with us it was about running away from the oppression by White fellows through Apartheid system in our country, with them is different as they came to our country to look for better life.

Yes it is true they came for that and we can witness it, but because most of them are doing it through illegal activities, should we still say “no these are our brothers who accommodated us during hard times”? A BIG NO!

Whoever came with a slogan that on the 10th of September 2019 will be a “National Day to take foreigners out of our country” doesn’t deserve peace, because the lives lost of both those Afrikan brothers and sisters and those of our own people during these attacks, is in his/her/ their hands.Is it also in the best interest of all when we condemn such in an illegal way as South Afrikans? Still A BIG NO!

Does our Government doing enough in dealing with all this? if the answer is yes, then i wouldn’t have asked the question above. Our Government is failing to deal with this situation completely, is like our leaders have ran out of ideas or they are tired and lazy to think anymore. As this is not the first time happening in our country, it keeps on happening and it will be calmed down instead of dealing with it completely.

In December 1994 and January 1995, armed youth gangs in the Alexandra Township outside of Johannesburg, destroyed the homes and property of suspected undocumented migrants and marched the individuals down to the local police station where they demanded that the foreigners be forcibly and immediately removed.As if all that was not enough, in 2008 amongst the many more killings till then from 1994, we saw the rise of the people again with 67 killings reported and pity was that 1 third of those 67 were South Africans.

From Home-Affairs to State Security Departments in South Africa we have very careless people in positions, i say “careless” because this happenings have a bad, sad and hurtful impact on our South African citizens by birth. For as much as we may agree that it’s not all of them, but the fact remains that even those who are owning tuckshops and selling on the streets, still they are not assisting us as a country with anything as they are not even paying Tax like our citizens.

As a country have and this time seem to be serious about taking our brothers and sisters out of the country, i condemn anything that is illegal in making this move possible by our own brothers and sisters here at home. We don’t have to kill each other as African people, we don’t have to steal their belongings and lastly we must not destroy OUR property, because remember the property they are using, still belongs to us.

I think it’s high time we visit our Constitution if we really want to deal with this, the gains of Freedom in our country must not be misused by anyone including our own South African citizens.All those who are in our country illegally, they must be deported back to their countries and all those who are here legally but do and live by illegal activities, still they must be deported back home or be given harsh sentences if found guilty.

As a country we must deal with this elephant as early as possible, before we see our own communities take it into their arms fully and deal with it, as they have already started.

President Cyril Ramaphosa must take us into confidence now and moving forward, we cannot be living in fear in our country as citizens and our fellow Afrikan brothers and sisters also included.

As the most obvious motives advanced for the socio-economic causes of Xenophobia are unemployment, poverty and inadequate or lack of service delivery which are mostly politically attributed. South Africans claim that foreigners are criminals, and they should not have access to services and any protection by State Security. Foreigners are also blamed for their businesses that take away customers from local residents. These attacks on each other as Africans must stop, and it must stop Now! Corruption with corruption is not xenophobia, it is CORRUPTION!

“Corruption is something we talk about… It is something that even the corrupt acknowledge it’s a bad thing. But the irony and tragedy at once is that those who engage in corruption, love it. The tragedy at once is that those of us who do not engage in it directly, accommodate it… Our levels of tolerance for corruption in Afrika is amazing.”Prof. Patrick L.O Lumumba

Edgar Curtis Legoale is an Activist, ANC, ANCYL Member and Youth Development Practitioner writing on his personal capacity.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Insider or its members. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of The Insider.