The recent xenophobic attacks have created unrest and have left many people living in fear.
Stories of people being burned alive, beaten and stabbed have made headlines across the globe.
Foreigners are hiding in the bushes and seeking refuge wherever possible to avoid being killed by the same people who offered them a better life.
Over the past 21 years South Africa has become a place where dreams can come true and where people from neighbouring countries flock to find a job and to provide for their families.
However, in 2008 and now again, South Africans are making it clear that certain foreigners are not welcome.
The people behind the recent attacks believe that the foreigners are stealing their jobs and committing crime.
But in reality, most of the foreigners are here legally and have worked hard to open small businesses to support their families who are starving back home.
Yes, there are some foreigners who are involved in crime and who bring drugs into the country, but this is only a handful of foreigners, not everyone.
No matter how you look at it, no one can justify burning people alive and brutally attacking other human beings. What kind of people are we if we can do this to other people?
I also suspect that it has more to do with being able to ransack shops and steal goods without being arrested, than it is about someone not being South African. It is easy to use the excuse that someone should not be in this country, to hide your true intentions.
These attacks are barbaric and I do not blame countries like Nigeria – saying that they will fight back.
Imagine if you as a South African, had to work in another country and be beaten within an inch of your life (if you are lucky) while trying to feed your family. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
Violence is not the answer.
