h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi folks! Serious problems here in South Africa. All of a sudden (so it seems) a wave of serious violence against foreigners has erupted here! Over forty people have been killed so far ... some burnt alive. Also many have been assaulted or had their homes destroyed. The victims are people from other African countries like Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Nigeria (though sometimes angry mobs will target anyone with a skin colour darker than the norm amongst our indigenous 'black' people ... other Africans are typically somewhat darker ... or they will even target minority native South African ethnic groups). They are blamed for taking jobs away from poor South Africans, and for crime and violence. The government, the police and military have had to intervene to stop this in its tracks, and camps have been set up to give shelter to those who fled or were forced out of their homes.

Now there are some interesting developments. So far the government has not called in the United Nations (or anyone else) to help out. They do not want to call these people 'refugees' ... mainly because they don't want to admit these people are fleeing from anything serious. Most of the illegal immigrants in South Africa come from Zimbabwe, a country currently experiencing economic and social collapse. Our president, Thabo Mbeki, has long been extremely reluctant to say anything about what's happening in Zimbabwe, and has been very chummy with that country's president, Robert Mugabe. Meanwhile perhaps as many as three million Zimbabweans have fled into South Africa to seek a better life here. Many of them are meeting with great hostility. Zimbabweans who are well qualified, find work - often working for less money than native South Africans - and are blamed for taking jobs away from 'our' people. Zimbabweans who are not well qualified do not find work so easily ... and if they don't find work some of them turn to crime and are blamed for that.

Now not all of the victims of the xenophobic violence are Zimbabweans. Some are Nigerians. Nigerians are known internationally for their 'scams' and over here a great many of them are involved in trafficking illegal drugs. There are also Mozambiquans and people from other African countries ... South Africa is one of the most stable and prosperous countries in Africa and so a very desirable destination. It is also quite easy to slip over the border ... that with Mozambique for instance is very long and guarded only by lions. Mozambiquans often are willing to run the lion gauntlet for the sake of the chance of getting here.

But at any rate. Now we have these masses of poor, illegal immigrants from elsewhere in Africa, amidst a population of native people a great many of whom are also poor and struggling. We still have an unemployment rate of something like 25%. We still have huge 'informal settlements' where millions of people are living in squalor and desperation. All around my own town, Polokwane, we can see these people living in shacks made of any kind of scrap material. How do these people live? Where do they get their food from? Many of them don't have access to clean water or sanitation facilities. How do they get by from day to day?! We're talking of literally millions of people living like this here in South Africa. And now these communities are experiencing these immigrants from elsewhere in Africa as a serious threat. They see the government's attempts to safeguard the illegals as yet another assault on them.

Consider this: these illegal immigrants who have fled are now being housed by the government in camps ... where they get tents or houses to live in, food and water and educational opportunities as well ... while so many native South Africans get NOTHING from the government ... even though their need is equal to or greater than that of these 'foreigners'! How could it look otherwise than as if the government is more concerned about the illegal immigrants than about the 'native' South Africans?

The government is in denial about the roots of the problem: the situation in Zimbabwe, and also, the situation with ongoing poverty, misery and desperation in South Africa. Many of the miserable millions see the government as having deserted them, having promised them better lives but having done nothing for them.

What will be the solution?

Hi, Willem,

I saw something on the news about this. It really is a terrible situation, and you know, apart from the violence, and really abject poverty, we have the same problems here. I suspect unrest is growing here too where there is an influx of immigrants most of whom are being treated better than our own struggling people. Our Govt. too is burying its' head in the sand.

As in your country something has to give at some stage, and no Govt. can continue financial support for hundreds of thousands of incomers, it is just not financiallly possible, and is bound to fuel resentment.

I do hope things are quiet where you are. Take care,

Websailor

Hello Websailor! Thanks for your comment. The thing is we have much less of a 'margin' for dealing with problems over here... we'll just have to see how things pan out. The violence has quieted down recently but there are still a lot of people in camps to be taken care of ...

I read of it too .

I've no solution to offer, the only hope in it I can find is that gradually every government might come to realise from extremes like this violence that peace and stability in its neighbours matters, and all countries make some progress to living as members of a community instead of rivals. I think the world needs that for survival.

(While I'm here, Willem, you remember AlsoRan/Christiane? She has a new homespace here U12340544, and a birthday not long ago.)

Thanks Waz, you beat me to it. Christiane is trying to gather up her friends again now she is back online, and I am sure she will be pleased to hear from you Willem

Websailor

Hey Waz, I agree with you! We are a global society in which every part affects the others ... every problem is everybody's problem.

Thanks also for telling me about Christiane/AR1! I dropped her a line!

Hi Websailor! How are things?

As we have just exchanged emails I will just say 'Hi'

Websailor