Hate fuelled by xenophobic tendencies

Such a fine line to negative: are South Africans xenophobic or in their loud and unusual way, are they patriotic?

A storm in a tea cup erupted because of a beauty pageant.

The Miss South Africa contest has come and gone and the international sentiment of who the world has since decided we are, based on how some reactions were perceived.

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There was either a staunch refusal to relax beliefs on what was exclusively meant for South Africans, or what was never that serious to cause such an explosion.

This all begs the question: when is it xenophobia versus an expectation for the laws of the land to be respected?

The truth is, as Africans we might not know how to love.

It might be because we were so busy learning how to defend ourselves that we never learned how to love ourselves and those around us.

Though years of struggle and oppression might have given us reason to hate, no oppressor ever actually sat people down and concluded a life lesson by saying “and this, Jabu, is how to hate”.

Nobody taught us hate, we taught ourselves hate and, ultimately, we must teach ourselves how to love.

While we hate each other, burning and terrorising each other because I am from South Africa and you’re from Mozambique.

Those that oppressed us, look at us from afar, television remote in hand and laugh at us.

Why would anyone watching the story that is Africa go to the cinema when we are a tragedy, comedy and horror all in one.

It is hate fuelled by xenophobic tendencies that make us fall short of being the blockbuster success we are meant to be.

ALSO READ: Miss SA issue highlights misguided xenophobia

Was Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie and his guard correct in their loud response to Chidimma Adetshina, or were her now silent supporters correct.

It’ll all depend on ones code of ethics. All equal before the law, or privilege only reserved for natural citizens.

The issue was always about the legality of it all; the application of the matter may be the defining factor.

But today, even black X celebrates a Miss South Africa who not only rewrote history, but united us against the possible infiltrate of foreign elements.

Did we take an ‘anyone but Nigeria’ stance?

But may the fine line between patriotism and xenophobia be trod carefully.

The furore in the Miss SA pageant must be seen correctly and the symptoms be treated correctly.

All over world peace and a chase to the crown, identity is questioned and it’s attainment, legally speaking too… the plot thickens.