04 June 2008
When a blog is called "Living in SA", how can I post anything without first trying to deal with the xenophobia which has plagued the country for the last month? Much has already been said about it; all around the world; and all over the world and particularly in South Africa, and we need to continue to condemn the violence and intolerance in the strongest terms.
My take on it? The scenes on tv of burning tyres and burning people have made me feel as though I have been transported back to the 1980s. It is chilling and depressing to think that we may not have moved forward as far as intolerance goes. In a country with many different races, cultures and languages, acceptance of people's differences is a prerequisite for peace. If we attack other Africans, how long will it be before we attack each other? We simply cannot afford to act in this way.
On a concrete level, the attacks have highlighted how desperate and frustrated many of the South Africans who have instigated the attacks are; they are living in poverty and struggling with unemployment, lack of housing and other facilities and a myriad of other difficulties. Clearly economic inequalities and other problems with infrastructure must be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
What can ordinary people like myself do? We need to speak out very loudly whenever we can against intolerance in whatever form it appears. We need to help those who have been attacked with food, shelter and clothing through giving time, or money; and we need all to try and close that huge economic gap between rich and poor in South Africa in whatever way we can to try and prevent this sort of thing happening again.
A bank account administered by the Independent Newspapers South Africa Cares campaign is there to receive donations which will be used to help those in need. Details are:
Some websites with more info on xenophobia:
Sowetan Xenophobic attacks special report:
Mail and Guardian Online:
Report entitled: "SA Unemployment seen keeping tensions high" ¶ [url for this post]
My take on it? The scenes on tv of burning tyres and burning people have made me feel as though I have been transported back to the 1980s. It is chilling and depressing to think that we may not have moved forward as far as intolerance goes. In a country with many different races, cultures and languages, acceptance of people's differences is a prerequisite for peace. If we attack other Africans, how long will it be before we attack each other? We simply cannot afford to act in this way.
On a concrete level, the attacks have highlighted how desperate and frustrated many of the South Africans who have instigated the attacks are; they are living in poverty and struggling with unemployment, lack of housing and other facilities and a myriad of other difficulties. Clearly economic inequalities and other problems with infrastructure must be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
What can ordinary people like myself do? We need to speak out very loudly whenever we can against intolerance in whatever form it appears. We need to help those who have been attacked with food, shelter and clothing through giving time, or money; and we need all to try and close that huge economic gap between rich and poor in South Africa in whatever way we can to try and prevent this sort of thing happening again.
A bank account administered by the Independent Newspapers South Africa Cares campaign is there to receive donations which will be used to help those in need. Details are:
Some websites with more info on xenophobia:
Sowetan Xenophobic attacks special report:
Mail and Guardian Online:
Report entitled: "SA Unemployment seen keeping tensions high" ¶ [url for this post]
