WHAT TYPE OF PEOPLE OUR WE!?

OPINION & ANALYSIS by Morwa Motho Bathong

In the last xenophobic attack – in 2008, I had said to a friend. ”What kind of people are we, that see our African brothers as enemies, killing our own brothers”

I remember writing a poem at that time and I titled it– My African brother is not lekwerekwere.

Fast forward to 2019, September – I woke-up to see Nigerian men in the CBD’s – Capital City of South African – Pretoria; Business District City of Johannesburg and the home of OR Tambo International Airport Kempton Park, not singling out other parts of Gauteng, threatening South African men in their own country, I see them on social media with all kinds of killer hand weapons saying ”we are ready to kill all this South Africans” who say’s that in a country they have just visited, Sepedi sere “moeng o dula ka mariparipa”.

Who is giving them that amount of power to even demonstrate on social media what they will do to South African people, who is fuelling their behaviour to even take to social media and say “tell all the people you know that they should not come to South Africa”?

While on the other hand – the amount of negative things a great majority of Nigerians do on the land of South Africa and on the social space are clearly saying “we are here to destroy the nation and all that it has worked tirelessly for” starting from selling drugs, opening illegal brothels and trading with women, degrading women of the land – I am sure one or two of you have an experience of a Nigerian man saying to you or the person you could have been with “my size, woman I could give you the best of a Nigerian man” the humiliation and embarrassment on a woman after being told that in public, in the CBD – the list is way too long including the hijacking of buildings.

No one is promoting the killing of other nationals – I say “No to Xenophobic attacks” – we need to face the truth – a great number of social ills in our society’s points at Nigerians and we need not to shy away from the truth. Please be reminded that “Uninvited guests are often most welcome when they leave” is this not the right time?

Other African nationals, Zimbabweans and Mozambicans – I am sure you have all seen that a great majority of South African’s are no-longer working, my Zimbabwean brothers and sisters – in a number of times I hear people saying you are mistreating them, calling them names and saying untrue things to the bosses about Africans and I keep on hearing that you celebrate when a South African person is terminated at work, you immediately make recommendations of your own people to (Zimbabwean brother or sister) to take a position of a South African fall employee – on your deeds by the way – so am told and so I have observed – the hospitality industry has been taken over by your own brothers and sisters, the security industry as well… a great amount of entry jobs have been occupied by yourselves – this include domestic work – you further on went to getting a great majority of South African people out of the construction industry.

The living truth is, a great number of South African’s are left to be consumers, their economic pride is no longer in their own hands and that is not right.

My question to you – I know we all have economic responsibilities – is it right that South African men and women can be subjected to unemployment and poverty in their own country – while you are enjoying all the economic activities in their own country?

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position or any policy of KAE News, it’s publishing company and any of its agencies.

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