XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS IN SOUTH AFRICA: MAKING NONSENSE OF THE CATCHING PHRASE “AFRICA FOR AFRICANS”. Uwakwe Roland C.

It is a truism that any group of people that share common historical and racial affinity have a way of managing their affairs with high sense of devotion, peace and cooperation. Hence the people of Europe after a long historical battle decided to come together as one group of people in the name of European Union. The Arabs have not also hidden their oneness especially in fighting their common enemy, the state of Israel. However the South African natives and her government have shown some level of discontent for the common heritage of Africans.

The attack by South Africans to fellow Africans is one of the greatest unkind deeds that have been happening in South Africa since the end of apartheid. Perhaps it is time we redraw the map of Africa to ascertain who we are as a people. Africans cannot face dehumanizing treatment in other Continents and at the same time in our soul, a similar attitude is also playing out in Libya.

We agree that South Africa and Nigeria have not been in good terms because both countries are locked in a fierce struggle to be Africa’s permanent super power. This competition manifest itself in several different ways, most prominent is in the diplomatic arena, where both countries jostle for influence and control at the continental and global institutions, the problem now is, how come this battle is now being fought among the citizens.

I think, the present South African President Jacob Zuma should be the worst President South Africa has produced since 1994. Worst still is the fact that the man is facing a heavy domestic crisis which will destroy the ANC eventually.

Perhaps the major reason for the reoccurrence of some of these crises is the lack of sense of history among Africans, does the average South African know the commitments made by the people of Africa to salvage and bring them out of slavery, for instance in Nigeria, some public servants gave out their salaries to make sure that fund was made available to prosecute the fight, this is not to mention the commitment of our leaders and some human right activist like Fela. Enough is enough.