Hold my hand, I'm a stranger in paradise

I was driving home last night and was half-listening to the news on 94.7 when I caught a sound byte from one of the areas affected by xenophobia. Some woman was screaming abuse at a reporter but her words were aimed at some of the foreign refugees, whom I would imagine were within earshot.

I’m almost immune to the news in South Africa by now, so when I got home I had supper and started to catch up on my reading online. One of the articles was by the Sowetan‘s Themba Molefe giving his thoughts on some of the disgusting behaviour we are currently witnessing. It’s well worth reading and struck a chord with me when he referred to Corlett Gardens.

As it happens, my parents-in-law Abe and Sonia live in a townhouse complex situated across the road from where the victims of xenophobia were housed last Sunday. The government (Mrs Traps) and my son Joshua were visiting her folks and witnessed the whole operation unfolding. From the tents to the electrification, fencing and securing of the area the government were, according to my government, professionalism itself.

The army and the police were very much in evidence and two government ministers were present to oversee everything. Abe told me that when he saw the busses bring the people who were to house the settlement, it was a very emotional experience for all concerned. He described the fear on the faces of these human beings, lest anyone forget, who just happen to be in the way of our grievances (justified as they may be). It is not their fault. It really, really, really is not their fault and even if it was, it would not excuse our conduct.

When these poor people started to alight, they were met with abuse and threats, primarily from young black youths who were making no effort to disguise the fact that given the chance they meant to do these people serious harm. It really was very scary to witness and when my family got home they were very emotionally charged.

Simply thugs and uneducated people venting their frustrations? Read Themba Molefe and factor in the following. During the week Abe went to a meeting at a local school which was attended by around 1 500 local residents of all races. He confirms that while there were one or two disgruntled whites, he was shocked to see all the affluent blacks launching into the speakers and informing them that they had not left the townships and upgraded their lifestyles in order to have to put up with this.

I feel as if I’ve just entered the Twilight Zone.

I know you’re probably as sick of and with this subject as I am, but unless we keep hammering home that this is way beyond disgusting conduct and borders on a build up to something along the lines of a massacre or worse, we are in danger of taking our eye off a ball which, we dare not do.

Politicians and other organisations are getting in there and moving mountains on this one: building camps, preparing for reintegration, setting up special prosecutors and the like. Ten out of 10 to them, and without any sarcasm.

I only hope that we are all doing enough to teach those around us that what they are doing is barbaric and whatever the reason for this unreasonable hatred, where it exists, using violence is beyond unacceptable. It’s a crime against humanity. They must be made to understand that this conduct does not only impact on Alexandra, Corlett Gardens or Boksburg, but rather that it paints the whole country in a terrible light. This in turn affects everything from tourism to investment in business, which then makes it more difficult to find the money for upliftment.

The worst case of shooting yourself in the foot.

As always it is and will remain a South African problem the resolution of which is in the interest of us all.

Even if it just improves your humanity.