A continent divided.
“I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere
Unless we share with each other/We gotta start makin’ changes
Learn to see me as a brother instead of two distant strangers…” – 2Pac.
Sigh!
There’s a big war going on outside and no one is safe from it. Every now and then the dark face of Africa surfaces … a side that is predominantly fueled by ignorance, and it doesn’t matter where it rears its ugly head from, it shames us all as black people.
Is Africa a fad? Do black people actually love each other and is this black love we speak of mostly pretense. What kind of demon possesses an individual to attack others with different orientation as you just because they choose to do business in your country and help their families. People migrate to different parts of the world for countless reasons and none of which includes wanting to be killed by a mob.
Xenophobia in South Africa is a big problem and not enough is being done by the South African government to address it. Their silence on the subject is marginally suspicious and worrying.
If an elected government struggles to keep order in its land of governance then it should not be in power.
On Sunday (Sep. 1) South Africans mobsters took to the streets of Johannesburg to destroy over 50 shops belonging to migrants from other African countries, with Nigerians receiving most of the brunt. Cars and properties were torched and widespread looting ensued. The events are barbaric, mind boggling and should not be championed no matter how informed you may believe your opinion on the subject is.
“For me, it’s pure criminality, people looting and all that, and using that as xenophobia. But for now there is nothing that has sparked any form of conflict between South Africans and foreign nationals,” Bheki Cele, South African Police Minister said.
“We dealing with criminality rather than xenophobia at the present moment,” he added.
As tensions around the xenophobic attacks continues to spread, Popular Nigerian and South Africa celebrities have all come out to condemn this wide show of shame.
Popular South African rapper, AKA wrote , “As the father of a little girl, I’m terrified to raise my baby in this country. “
“No African should live in fear of being attacked by their fellow brothers. I love my country but we need to make drastic changes. WE BLACK. WE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH VIOLENCE AND HATE. ENOUGH!,” Riky Rick tweeted.
The Enemy is succeeding #Africa— Sarkodie (@sarkodie) September 3, 2019
We can say “AFRICA UNITE” all we want. We need REAL, PRACTICAL solutions to fight Xenophobia.— AKA (@akaworldwide) September 3, 2019
I performed in Harare #ZimUnplugged this past Saturday,they embraced me and showed me so much love.This breaks my heart,and makes me NOT proud to be a South African.Whats it going to take to end these #Xenophobicattacks— #ICHU (@KhuliChana) September 3, 2019
It’s like when someone is filled with so much anger towards you and you are not the one they should be fighting. What do you do? How do you make them see that we are supposed to unite to fight real devil, poverty, oppression … pic.twitter.com/U2DajwNCpj— Tiwa Savage (@TiwaSavage) September 3, 2019
Disheartening to watch these videos from my home! You’re fighting the wrong war , fighting the wrong people. How do we walk around hating each other? Africa is one! We’re all the same people! Pls don’t loose yourself! #SayNoToXenophobia One Love ❤️— Wizkid (@wizkidayo) September 3, 2019
This is not the SA that Mandela fought and sacrificed for. This is not the SA that a lot of us have come to know and love. I just watched a video of a man burnt alive in front of a crowd. It’s sick, and heartbreaking. “Hell must be empty because all the demons are here”. Sigh (3)— Banky Wellington (@BankyW) September 3, 2019
If our country good ? Wetin we go find go southy ??? 💔💔💔— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 3, 2019
— ZULU MAN WITH SOME POWER (@Nasty_CSA) September 3, 2019
As the father of a little girl, Im terrified to raise my baby in this country. 💔— AKA (@akaworldwide) September 3, 2019
We can say “AFRICA UNITE” all we want. We need REAL, PRACTICAL solutions to fight Xenophobia.— AKA (@akaworldwide) September 3, 2019
No woman should live in endless fear of being abused by men. No African should live in fear of being attacked by their fellow brothers. I love my country but we need to make drastic changes. WE BLACK. WE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH VIOLENCE AND HATE. ENOUGH! #AmINext #SayNoToXenophobia— MR MAKHADO™️ (@rikyrickworld) September 3, 2019
I pray for healing.. our continent has been hurt so much and we are acting out from pain!!! 💔 Say NO to Xenophobia!!!— Yung denzL (@MI_Abaga) September 3, 2019
Sad times. 💔— R.M Phoolo (@casspernyovest) September 3, 2019
Monna it’s a mess. The tricky thing is that this is not new. It keeps happening. We keep killing our brothers and sisters. It needs to stop!!!!! #StopXenophobicAttacks #StopXenophobia— R.M Phoolo (@casspernyovest) September 3, 2019
Pls educate yourselves, educate the kids , educate the youth! We’re all humans before anything else! “Humans” !! And most importantly “Africans”!— Wizkid (@wizkidayo) September 3, 2019
#DearMrPresident, please say something!— #Umlilo #ERAbyDJZinhle #ZeeNation (@DJZinhle) September 3, 2019
Africans divided, arguing like idiots. Same old story.— AKA (@akaworldwide) September 3, 2019
Why most comentors advocate for peace, Nigeria rapper/singer YCee chose to incite hate, albeit with good intentions..
“I don’t rate South African men at this point … and I’m not trying to create any form of animosity between us and them (that they don’t already feel against us) It is really sad that In 2019 Xenophobia is what we are still facing and discussing as a problem.”
“There is this subtle dislike that a lot of them (If not all) feel towards Nigerians and no matter how hard they try to hide it .. it eventually jumps out – like when AKA had a full childish grown man tantrum when they lost to Nigeria in the nations cup.”
There is this subtle dislike that a lot of them (If not all) feel towards Nigerians and no matter how hard they tr
y to hide it .. it eventually jumps out – like when AKA had a full childish grown man tantrum when they lost to Nigeria in the nations cup— ZAHEER! (@iam_YCee) September 3, 2019
Worst part of this thing is South Africans (or any other foreign nationals) will never feel unsafe in Nigeria.
We even treat foreigners better than we treat ourselves, which I believe needs to change. The rest of the world doesn’t respect us Cos we don’t respect ourselves— ZAHEER! (@iam_YCee) September 3, 2019
Burna Boy struggled to keep his emotions in check.
Ok. I have been away from social media personally until today. Ordinarily at a time like this, I should come here and say something to try and calm the situation because my Dream has always been to Unite AFRICA and make us realise that Together we will Literally rule the world…— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) September 3, 2019
But Today After watching the Killing of my people in South Africa the same way we have all watched it happen a few times in the past. FUCK ALL THAT! I personally have had my own xenophobic experiences at the hands of South Africans and because of that…..— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) September 3, 2019
I have not set foot in SA since 2017. And I will NOT EVER go to South Africa again for any reason until the SOUTH AFRICAN government wakes the fuck up and really performs A miracle because I don’t know how they can even possibly fix this.— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) September 3, 2019
This goes against everything I stand 4, but at what point do we take action? I understand that years of Oppression has confused South Africans to the point where they see the pple who came to their defence during their Oppression as their Enemies and then worship their oppressors— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) September 3, 2019
— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) September 3, 2019
Imma just get off Twitter now before I take yall back to the Old me.— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) September 3, 2019
And @MI_Abaga it’s Fuck @akaworldwide from now on. And if you down with him, it’s Fuck you too. I respect you too much, please Don’t throw my respect out the window cuz I swear you will fly out with it.— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) September 3, 2019
Lemme also say that there are some South Africans who are Amazing, Progressive AFRICAN people and I will forever Love them like I Love myself. But they are not many at all.— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) September 3, 2019
UPDATE: South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa after much public outcry has finally spoken in condemnation of the attacks.
“Attacks on businesses run by “foreign nationals is something totally unacceptable, something that we cannot allow to happen in South Africa,” Ramaphosa said.
“I want it to stop immediately,” said Ramaphosa, adding that there was “no justification” for the violence.
The people of our country want to live in harmony; whatever concerns or grievances we may have, we need to handle them in a democratic way. There can be no justification for any South African to attack people from other countries. pic.twitter.com/StGyNlhV1q— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 3, 2019
