By Pamela Machimbidza,

 writing from Johannesburg, SA

SURVIVING in South Africa as a foreign national has always been determined by how light skinned one is. 

The lighter one is, the less the risk of attacks and abuse; also the better one’s chances of landing a good job, regardless of qualification and experience.

Afrophobic attacks in South Africa have mainly been of black South Africans attacking black Africans and their businesses.

There have been some attacks over the years too on South Africans who ‘looked foreign’ because they were ‘too dark’ to be South African. 

One’s darkness or lightness in complexion, therefore, determines one’s safety.

Being Zimbabwean and restricted to routine travel to and from work, maintaining that route has not been easy. 

Going to church is a luxury which can end in a blood bath on the way.

A greeting is no longer welcome; it could be a test to one’s accent and a ‘visa’ to bludgeoning.

Walking; a glance to the right, left and even over the shoulder becomes normal, one never knows who can throw a panga at you.

Having successfully completed a Diploma in Journalism back home in Zimbabwe, securing employment was a wild goose chase. I had no choice but to trek down south, joining my husband Egoli, leaving behind two minor boys in the care of my mother-in-law in rural Masvingo.

Living on the edge eMzansi, hope carried us through each day before the tragic madness. 

Now, hope is dashed, with each day a fearful ‘beginning’ as one leaves for work never guaranteed of safety.

On arriving ‘home’ safely, at the end of each shift, a sigh of relief is heaved. We phone back home to assure mom and other loved ones that we are ok before going to bed. This has become a routine.

As a contract worker, each day I face the spectre of termination of my employment. 

I make the best of my wages, helping the family back home to make ends meet.

My husband, being the head of the family, has the unenviable duty to support the extended family back home. 

He soldiers on, not throwing in the towel; he has to achieve what he set out to do. We have to build a home as well as invest in a small project to sustain us on returning home. For that reason, the Afrophobic attacks saw very few people leaving, us included.

The rest of foreigners in our shoes have to endure the pain and near death escapes as home depends on us for daily living. 

With two consecutive droughts, livestock decimated, prices sky rocketing, unemployment rife, the home ticket is not a choice for now. Why, black brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, do we kill each other? 

Being born across the river never used to be an issue. 

Why do we now restrict our thinking to these artificial boundaries?

Indeed, it seems that the apartheid era has been forgotten by South Africans; how it planted current disharmony and poverty among blacks. Xenophobia is generally defined as the deep dislike of non-nationals of a recipient state. 

This definition is also used by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). However, in the context of xenophobic violence in South Africa, surprisingly, white people are not viewed as foreigners.

In response to the recent attacks, Zulu King Mangosuthu Buthelezi said: “It is unfortunate that African brothers go against each other neck on neck…the whole world is laughing at us. I feel ashamed. 

As Africans we are making ourselves a laughing stock…because the world knows what we seem so quickly to forget. Africans are our brothers and sisters…our struggle is tied to the struggle of these countries throughout Africa. They fought colonialism just as we did and they sacrificed to see us liberated.”

As the late former South African President Nelson Mandela once stated: “The mentality of retaliation destroys states while the mentality of tolerance builds nations.” 

Through attacking foreign nationals, South Africa is destroying itself. 

They are giving the former oppressors room to strike again. It is not surprising that Uncle Sam sees an opportunity to choke one of the few African states with a growing economy. 

“These barbaric attacks by South Africans is very disappointing, it’s time we put South Africa under strong economic sanctions,” US President Donald Trump stated in response to the recent xenophobic attacks.

Why have South Africans easily forgotten that victory over apartheid was a collective effort?

Help from other African countries was decisive in ending oppression.

Let no coloniser divide the oneness of Africa.

Let us rebuild the mother continent which had no boundaries prior to colonisation.

Let ubuntu be the binding factor.

Together, Africa can be great again if no black brother kills a brother for being born across the river.

Let the river between be a source of food as we tap from the same source.

Nkosi sikelela Africa, we must sing forever!

There is no other continent as blessed as Africa.

Africa; say no to self-hate!