Open-Day – get there!
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Xenophobia<br />
Being a foreign national living in<br />
South Africa it doesn’t mean that you are suddenly<br />
a drug dealer, you steal people’s jobs or<br />
you are here to bring the country’s economy down.<br />
There are foreign nationals who are in this country<br />
legally and are paying tax. Mostly that doesn’t seem<br />
to <strong>get</strong> to the heads of some South Africans. As a result<br />
this has sparked a<br />
wide range of xenophobia<br />
and afrophobia<br />
attacks.<br />
Xenophobia is<br />
a strong dislike<br />
of foreigners<br />
and afrophobia<br />
is also a strong<br />
dislike of fellow<br />
Africans living in<br />
another country.<br />
There are many<br />
reasons why<br />
foreigners from<br />
countries such as<br />
Zimbabwe, Somalia,<br />
Nigeria, Malawi,<br />
Kenya, etc.,<br />
come to South Africa.<br />
Some come<br />
looking for better<br />
lives and find jobs,<br />
some run away<br />
from their countries<br />
because of political reasons.<br />
South Africa, being one of the powerhouse countries<br />
in Africa, attracts many foreigners and tourists daily.<br />
Over the last days Xenophobia has made television<br />
and newspaper headlines with politicians, leaders,<br />
government officials and some ordinary South Africans<br />
calling for peace but that seems to have fallen<br />
on deaf ears because almost everyday new attacks on<br />
foreigners take place.<br />
The worst xenophobic attacks have been taking place<br />
in KwaZulu-Natal. Most belive that the comments<br />
made by the Zulu king, King Zwelithini about foreigners<br />
triggered those attacks. The king was quoted as<br />
saying “foreigners must pack and leave this country<br />
“. Obvious with the huge number of people under<br />
the king’s leadership in KwaZulu-Natal, attacks were<br />
bound to happen.<br />
Whether the king<br />
was misquoted by<br />
the media or not,<br />
he should always<br />
be careful what<br />
he says as people<br />
may blow things<br />
out of proportion.<br />
As South Africans<br />
we must understand<br />
that this is<br />
a crime against<br />
humanity. If you<br />
kill a foreigner you<br />
must know that<br />
you kill someone<br />
else’s husband,<br />
father, brother,<br />
or another family<br />
member.<br />
The issue of Xenophobia<br />
runs deep.<br />
It is more than<br />
just a strong dislike<br />
of foreigners, it is a release of anger and emotions<br />
about the situation of the country. Pity that foreigners<br />
are an easy prey.<br />
President Mandela once said: ”Never again shall it<br />
be that this beautiful land will experience the oppression<br />
of one by another.”<br />
But it is not the case as oppression, whether by race<br />
or nationality, is still rife in South Africa.<br />
10 >>>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL
Change language