”I believe in the brotherhood of man, all men, but I don’t believe in the brotherhood with anybody who doesn’t want brotherhood with me. I believe in treating people right, but I’m not going to waste my time trying to treat somebody right who doesn’t know how to return the treatment.” Malcom X
South Africa, you have been a brother. You have been a brother not only to Malawi but Africa as a whole. South Africa, you have been…have been a brother once. But you no longer are. Yes, you no longer are a brother!
Accepted, the dark days of apartheid might have made your heart darker, and thirstier for blood. However, the human in you should have told you—and of course it did tell you—that humanity needs brotherhood to live a life full of meaningful dreams. That’s why us—Africans—were with you in deed, and much more so in spirit, in efforts aiming at ending the institutionalized discrimination.
Recognizing full well of the need for brotherhood, we fought side by side with you. And you became a non-racial and non-discriminatory nation. You became a rainball nation.
And now fast-forward to 2000. South Africa, do you remember that between 2000 and 2008 more than 60 people lost their dear lives due to xenophobia-motivated attacks that you perpetrated? Is it because you consider yourself self-sufficient as to not need a brother’s hand? Or perhaps you are so narcissistic that you think you can survive on your own. Whatever it is you call yourself—a giant African Nation, African’s economic powerhouse, Africa’s development model—the fact remains you need a brother, you will need a brother, and you have always needed one.
As if the xenophobia between 2000 and 2008 was not enough, you are back with a new same sad story—xenophobia. Your men and women in your cities especially Durban have unrepentantly forsaken your brotherhood with Africa. Blacks from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Somalia, and Mozambique have all suffered from your irresponsible behavior.
But if you are as decent as you claim you are, be man enough and tell us what it is that these noble Africans have done you wrong. Tell us the crime these noble Africans have committed. When, in this 21st Century, has working in a foreign nation become a crime?
Simple logic tells us that there can never be a vacancy in a post that is filled. From this statement, does it not rightly follow that if the foreigners find work it is because there is vacancy? So, surely the argument that foreigners snatch your men and women’s work is nothing but, spoiler alert, bullshit. And we hear that the work that the foreigners is not work at all but drudgery. The least you can do South Africa is, in all honesty, show some love for the foreign brothers. At least show some appreciation that there is a section of Africa that is voluntarily working to death to make you the economic giant you claim to be.
If the xenophobia is about combating crime, it is logically hard to imagine that the shocking crime rates in South Africa can be said to be perpetrated foreigners alone. And for your own information South Africa, it makes sense that those that hate to do the ‘small work’ and yet still are able to butter their bread are most likely to commit crimes. And these men and women that do not do ‘small work’ are your people South Africa. Otherwise how do you explain how they make ends meet. Indeed, if your men and women had anything to do they would not be in the streets venting their frustration on innocent foreigners.
We regret to see that most of your powerful men and women have condemned your bad behavior in the mildest of condemnation. And we remain to be wised up why such a serious issue should receive such mild condemnation. Is it perhaps a silent endorsement of your children’s behavior? Answer me South Africa.
So, it appears to us—concerned Africans—that perhaps the xenophobia is not at all about foreigners snatching your men and women’s work; it is about your unexpressed desire to denounce our solid brotherhood.
We realize that Africa, and Malawi in particular, has a shared history with you. And we sincerely cherish that. However, it should be clear from common knowledge that brotherhood begets brotherhood. So, if you want brotherhood we are ready to return brotherhood. But if you do not want brotherhood then say it because we African do not have time to treat you right when you do not know how to return the treatment.
Know this South Africa, up until such a time that you stop your children from terrorizing your friends’ children we have, with a heavy heart, accepted your denunciation of our brotherhood. Yes, until there is an end to the xenophobic attacks, you are no longer a brother South Africa.