SOUTH AFRICA: XENOPHOBIC ATTACK THE GREATEST ENEMY OF THE SOUTH AFRICANS?

“Apartheid is a crime against humanity” this was an adage that became so popular in my days in secondary school. The solidarity melted out by all African countries in support of South Africa against apartheid was enormous. Nigeria was indeed at the vanguard of this fight as if they were South Africans themselves. In fact, they are like our brothers in the diaspora. At the time, all our classrooms, buildings and houses were the inscription of ‘APARTHEID IS A CRIME AGAINS T HUMANITY”. Late Nelson Mandela spearheaded the battle against this impunity and discrimination against South Africans. He fought vigorously against this injustice which led to his imprisonment for 21 years.

Apartheid became a thing of the past. A prisoner for 21years became the president of the country. In fact, he became the first black president in South Africa on may 9 1994. And so got the need to rebuild, the educational standard of the land has been put down by apartheid there came the need to aid our brothers by African countries as many MDs, nurses, technologists and other professional were necessary to reconstruct the country. With their coming the country became stabilized most especially the health sector where doctors were employed en mass in south Africa.

This is apartheid against fellow Africans. Many called it Xenophobic attack, but to me, it is apartheid against fellow Africans. It is apartheid against fellow brothers which is against conscience and humanity. Apart from the apartheid era, South Africans have indeed experienced peace compared to many African countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia and others which indeed is a thing of pride to us Africans, that we should try and maintain peace in our various countries like South Africa. This nation has been so lucky not to even go through the health challenges of Ebola, which has wiped away many people in West Africa.

The question that comes to mind at this time is, is South Africa not becoming the greatest enemy of itself?, what was the cause of the xenophobic attack?, Are our brothers in South Africa really feeling cheated by their fellow brothers?, if so what is the way out?. Regarding the first interrogation, I am of the belief that if this xenophobic attack is not clipped in the bud within the shortest possible time, it may become a behemoth that will ravage the public security and quiet that has since been in South Africa.Before citizens can get away and attack foreigners boldly in the daylight, it is not something that only cropped up overnight, it is something that some citizens nursed for some fourth dimension which has matured and has metamorphosed to this point. To nip this in the bud, the government need to know the sincere source of the storm to cut it from growing now and in the future.

It is widely claimed, that the South African citizens believed that their brothers have taken the Job which they were supposed to be doing in the country which indeed have constituted a threat to their survival. If this is so, indeed, I convey my sympathy to them because I really recognise how they feel, however, killing their African brothers is and never will be the answer. They can only introduce a policy that will mildly protect their citizens because there is never a country that is an island. History has proven that most developed countries were able to reach that feat because they let outsiders into their ground, some of these countries are U.S.A and Britain mention a few. I am also aware that the judicial system in South Africa did not allow foreigners to practice in the South Africa courts except you are a South African. If this is true, then it means that this Xenophobic attack is being nursed in South African for long as this must stop.

In conclusion, attacking a fellow brother, a black brother for that matter is the greatest level of impunity, disservice and disrespect to a fellow brother which must stop immediately. Failure to nip this in the bud may indeed be a root of a catastrophic era in South Africa, thereby eroding our African culture of being our brother's keeper and the growth of hatred for one another in the continent.