By Ochiaka Ugwu
The kind of constructive strategic support extended to South Africa by African nations during the apartheid era and struggles to break its neck and free the black South Africans by entrenching an egalitarian society that will treat all men equal irrespective of tribe or race was enormous and of great magnitude. All the countries in East, West, North, Southern and Central Africa were neck deep in the emancipation struggle against apartheid. They did not only open their borders to South African exiles, but provided their scarce resources to the anti-apartheid struggle. Civil society and interest groups embarked on protests with Africans boycotting apartheid products.
Given the scale of this support which nailed the coffin of apartheid and allowed the first all-race and universal suffrage in the rainbow nation has made students of history and political organisms to ponder on why South Africa nationals will now turn against their comrades who risked all to fight for their freedom in the spirit of Africanism.
Despite fighting for them by sacrificing all they could, they have turned all their arsenal of hate and destruction to black Africa migrates blaming them for all their misfortunes.
Surprisingly, Africa and Africans are known for communalism, a system that is based on collective socialism focusing on the widely held belief that says, “From each according to his ability and to each according his needs. Based on this reality, pundits have said that xenophobia shouldn’t be in the first place as it is un-African given its Ubuntu spirit that supports the phrase “I am because we are”.
The uncomfortable reality is that South Africa has suddenly forgotten so soon how they evolved with Africanism and communalism horned by fraternity and brotherhood which sustained the struggle against apartheid regime until it was defeated with the release of Dr. Nelson Mandela in 1990 and the conduct of all-race election in 1994 which Mandela won to become president.
South Africa has in no small measures betrayed Africa’s shared destiny and socialism which it is the highest beneficiary with their recent Afrophobia which is spreading like wildfire with many Africans killed and others maimed. The people had before now heaped the blame of the high youth unemployment on the doorstep of African migrants accusing them of settling for less pay for a job ordinarily should be left for South Africans. Although, the much talks of displacing them jobwise may just be a way to find a psychological leaning on their present predicament, but is not known to have solved any unemployment related challenges in human and industrial relations history. Expelling fellow Africans may provide temporary emotional satisfaction and as well lead to temporary fulfillment of their heart desires of believing that foreigners are displacing them on job placement, but all these does not amply in employment creation and empowerment.
They have even gone ahead in destroying immigrant-owned businesses when most African nations are running helter-scatter to woo investors to their countries for all round economic development. Attacking foreigners does not reduce inflation. Aggressive violence against foreigners does not improve education or healthcare.
However, a Pew Research poll conducted in 2018 showed that 62% of South Africans expressed negative sentiment about foreign nationals living and working in South Africa, strongly holding the notion that immigrants are a burden on country by taking jobs and social benefits. The report also noted that 61% of South Africans thought that immigrants were more responsible for crime than other groups, but these views will always flop flat on closer scrutiny as there is no substantial evidence to substantiate the notion that immigrants are the main culprits of criminal activity in South Africa. It is just a flimsy excuse made to establish basis on expelling foreigners.
Consequently, xenophobia has been described as irrational fear, dislike, or hatred of strangers, foreigners, while Afrophobia is the fear of a specific other especially black African foreigners. These blacks are the main targets as anti-foreigners have always voiced it out at the slightest exchange that black foreigners are their problem and not welcomed in their country. This has made commentators on international relations to conclude that what is happening South Africa is Afrophobia instead of xenophobia as widely believed.
The truth is that these anti-foreigners’ campaigners see people from western nations by virtue of their white skin as bringing development and advancing their country. In their on thinking, whether true or false these people are of great benefit to the economic wellbeing of their nation compared with black foreigners who they see as parasites and usurpers who came to displace them economically and take away their social benefits. These negative convictions associated with the crises in South Africa have made many social development scholars to describe the situation as hatred born out of anger and frustration.
Meanwhile, Afrophobia became prominent after the 2008 outbreaks of violence in South Africa against other Africans which was mostly caused by “White Superiority” mentality. They have the conviction that white skin is synonymous to growth and development, while blacks are anti-progress which should be discarded and distanced from. This forms the background of wicked hostilities towards black African foreigners in South Africa. Of a truth, the apartheid and colonial experiences have created a condition where the oppressed become willing participants in their oppression. This best explains the South African condition and reasons behind attacks on black Africans. It is rooted in manipulation of human minds, by taking advantage of the differences among similar individuals and using these differences to sow seed of discord, fear, distrust and envy.
There is no doubt, that South Africans disappointment started immediatelys apartheid was dismantled. They were promised that with apartheid gone, the new system was going to provide all the privileges that they have always desired. When these promises were not fulfilled, it brought frustration for majority of them who now blame it on black foreigners.
Curiously, some have openly blamed Mandela for winning political freedom, but left out economic freedom in his struggle against apartheid. This disenchantment on the economic disparity is exacerbated by the split between political freedom and economic equality. Democracy and free market economy exist uneasily side by side, in contradiction to each other, with democracy favouring joint interests and equality but capitalism enhancing self-centeredness and economic inequality.
They felt that the leadership could have done much more as successive regimes after Mandela have been led by black South Africans, from Thabo Mbaki to Jacob Zuma and now Cyril Ramaphosa. So, with the benefit of hindsight, those leaders that came after Mandela should have paid as much attention to economic freedom as he did to political liberty. It is time South Africans have a healthy and honest discussions on the future they want for their country, instead of blaming black foreigners who migrated in search of better life and have no say on how the economy is being ran.
The fact remains that both white South Africans and black foreigners can be accommodated, allowed to continue thriving in their chosen carrier with the aim of bringing unprecedented development to the country. They should align their shared priorities and detect that workable and reliable fine lines, work out a constructive strategic plan that allows all to thrive without totally alienating the other. Securing more economic power for blacks does not necessarily have to be an entirely zero-sum game. Without some forceful correction of the country’s currently lopsided economic structure, however, whatever progress that is made while it subsists would eventually unravel, when an even more impoverished black majority decides they have had enough. Still, no matter how much economic power black South Africans by whatever means they wish to get it, it would be meaningless if most remain unskilled and unequipped for the most sought jobs in labour market.
To stamp out hate and mistrust, there is need to celebrate diversity with the continues reminder that we are one humanity all over the world. It must be clearly stated and understood that all peoples of the world are equal and every culture has something unique to offer. There should be conscientization on respecting people’s belief, values and entrenching mutual respect.
Upon these measures, government of South Africa should embark on honest and workable action plans to create friendly and conducive environment that will enable its citizen to appreciate and understand that are humans like them and coexist peacefully with the aim of building a community of mankind.
