The issue of rising unemployment is adding fuel to the fire. Young South Africans who feel that their opportunities are being taken from them by the foreigners is now at boiling point. They have taken to the streets in a violent mass to make their mark in blood.
On the one hand it is refreshing to hear the president actually acknowledging one of the unsaid root causes of this type of violence. The end of apartheid was marked by violence; black on black violence was at an all-time high. The white supremacist government was running notorious death camps, hunting down perceived threats. It was a dark time in our history and one that was never truly dealt with.
The use of violence to make political points and ultimately force the government to abandon its apartheid philosophy was a tactic that unfortunately has never been done away with. Violent service delivery protest, union marches that destroy downtown Johannesburg have been the order of the day for the past 20 years. So to hear the president actually admit that the proper process of demilitarisation of the population was not done and that this is a contributing factor, this is a step in the right direction. The question remains how exactly do they plan to deal with this in the future?
The other side of the issue is the reputational damage this violence has caused the country. Forget what the rest of the Western world has to say and the obvious drop in tourism, what about our African neighbours? As I write this, I am currently sitting in a hotel in Namibia, a place I visit regularly to do business. I come here to do training for some of their top companies and city officials, and until now have never had an issue entering the country. Not this time, almost all of the South African passport holders were questioned thoroughly about their reasons and intentions for entering the country. South African companies that have branches in Namibia sending staff over for training were asked to produce work permits before entry. Never have I heard this, but the statement of the border guard said it all. “You come here to work without a permit; can I do the same in your country?”
The reality I face is now I am the foreigner receiving a very cold reception in a country that used to welcome me with open arms. This xenophobic tendency our country has will have far-reaching and long-lasting consequences affecting more lives than just those foreigners who are being persecuted, especially when we consider our place in the African context.
If this action centres around the economy, well it’s this exact action that is going to hurt the economy even more, and that will start a revolving motion of violence, stopping investment causing violence. I just hope we see the light before it is too late.
