Combating xenophobic attacks in South Africa

We must learn to live together as brothers or we will perish as fools”—Dr Martin Luther King Jr
IT appears that South Africans have forgotten their country’s history too early and too easily. They have forgotten how Nigerian leaders helped them and made huge sacrifices for them to gain independence from colonial rule 25 years ago. Nigerian musicians such as the late Sunny Okosun waxed albums calling for the release of Nelson Mandela from prison and some, including Kolington Ayinla, also waxed albums serenading him when he regained his freedom.

But South Africans have shown how ungrateful and callous they are by repaying our kindness with evil. Just like they did few years ago, some South Africans recently attacked Nigerians resident in their country. The current xenophobic attacks in South Africa started on September 1 after the killing of a taxi driver by an alleged drug dealer in Pretoria. This incident, however, should not have led to the destruction of the lives of fellow Africans and their properties. The properties of Nigerians and other Africans came under attack.

Shops were looted and many were killed. Bongani Mkongi, South African Deputy Minister of Police, had argued at a press conference a few years ago that South Africa could not accept a situation where certain cities were dominated by foreign nationals, with about 80 per cent of the population being foreigners. Given statements such as those made by Ngoni and the nonchalant attitude of the South African government to xenophobic attacks, the attacks will not stop anytime soon. Proper and serious actions are therefore needed to be taken by the Federal Government to ensure the safety of Nigerians in South Africa.

The lives and properties of our fellow brothers and sisters came under attack by the mindless and imprudent criminals who claimed that they were fighting for their country’s future. My questions is, can a country’s future be built through violence? And who really is responsible for the economic misfortunes of these black South Africans?

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According to  a scholar, Mohammad Anwar of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, white people still hold the lion’s share of all forms of capital in the South African economy.  According to him, “A multifaceted enquiry into the state of the South African economy that includes all these forms of capital leaves no doubt that white capital continues to dominate the economy. To reject this reality shows a clear lack of understanding and the link between historic and contemporary forms of capital accumulation.”

Anwar, in his very instructive 2017 article published in The Conversation magazine, added that white people continue to be more skilled and attain higher education levels than their black counterparts who remain heavily under-represented in the skilled jobs market. Added to this, of course, the corruption by the South African government.

To put an end to the outrageous attacks and looting by South Africans, the Federal Government needs to fully and seriously engage the issue. Nigerians should, however, bear it in mind that violence will not bring a lasting solution to xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The issue goes beyond killing and destroying lives and properties.

Burning and shutting down South African- owned companies such as Shoprite, Stanbic IBTC Bank, MTN, DSTV offices and others will not solve the problem. Rather, they will have adverse effects on our economy and the livelihood of many Nigerians. When these companies are attacked, Nigerians who work in them will be adversely affected and may develop serious health and psychological issues such as depression and high blood pressure.

The Nigerian government should act fast: it should not give foreign governments the impression that our people’s lives are insignificant. The hesitant attitude of some Nigerians in South Africa regarding relocation to Nigeria could be due to insecurity and the current economic challenges in the country. Nigerians are counting on both the federal and state governments to hasten the growth and development of the country’s economy and reduce the high level of poverty. Nigerians in South Africa need assurances that their lives and properties will be safe at home.

Prudent decisions and steps should be taken by the Nigerian government, including suspension of transactions with South Africa and joining hands with like-minded countries in Africa to tackle xenophobic attacks, in order to stop the virus from spreading to other African countries.

Nigerians in South Africa should stay safe and avoid violence in order not to lose their lives in the process. Moreover, African leaders should be united. They should join hands in fighting poverty and underdevelopment.

However, if any African country insists on remaining an ambassador of disunity, such a country should be taught a serious lesson. This is because it will be difficult for Africans to develop if we lack unity and cooperation. Let us all join the fight against xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

• Akinde, a student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, writes in via olammyde01@gmail.com