When I first came to America (2005) I was so shocked at the level of my knowledge of the rest of Africa. South Africans are very oblivious to what is happening in other parts of Africa. This ignorance of other African nations is one of the contributing factors to the horrible xenophobia that is executed by South Africans to other Africans. I was blatantly asked by my Somalian friend who lives in Dallas about the horrible crimes that South Africans have committed towards Somalians. Here are two stories you can read: http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=61298 and http://my.opera.com/abdinur/blog/show.dml/894423. There are dozens of other stories about the horrible xenophobic crimes that South Africans commit towards our African brothers and sisters.

What I hate most about this xenophobia is that it’s also very selective. It’s never directed at Europeans or Americans. Yes they do experience robbery and things like that because they are foreigners and are easy targets but they are still better off than other Africans. People from other regions in Africa are treated with such ridicule that I am ashamed to say I South African. Its uncalled for, for people to be treated this way. Many black Africans often speak of being mistreated when visiting European nations. That still does not excuse the xenophobia and most South Africans who treat foreigners this way  are people on the streets who have never been to Europe.

One of my white friends from South Africa had a theory for the ugly treatment of foreigners. He believes that South Africa is a young democracy and that our friends from other African states must give us time to settle down. He said that people are still healing from old wounds and then they have to deal with new people arriving from other places bringing their problems with them. I don’t agree with this! South Africa will always be going through something. That’s just the way life works. Just like Mandela once said “you climb to the top of the mountain only to realise that there are many more mountains to climb.” There will never be a time where there’s no struggle of some sort!

 I remember all the conversations in the mini bus taxis about how foreigners must leave the country. People excuse this behaviour by saying that foreigners are taking jobs away from South Africans. The reality of the situation that our African brothers and sisters are creative and see business opportunity and use them. It is a shame to see South Africans behave this way. Not so long ago South Africans were in exile and resident in other African countries. Now that South Africa is “free” South Africans don’t want to be of assistance to other Africans. It’s sad how we as South Africans have constructed our identity using the white man’s tools. I say this because even when we speak as South Africans we speak as if we are NOT part of the continent. I believe that the xenophobia in South Africa is supported by white supremacist ideals and that black South Africans hate the reflection on other Africans because we see ourselves and consequently we hate ourselves.