Since when was Durban the heartland of Kwa Zulu Natal I always thought it was north of the Tugela.

From the Economist: "Broader questions need asking about South Africa's handling of immigration. The country’s mines and farms have long employed workers from Lesotho, Malawi and Zimbabwe; wars in the region long sent refugees across the border. But the end of apartheid saw a rapid increase in flows from poorer neighbours. The collapse of Zimbabwe has forced many, perhaps 2m or more, to flee south. As most migrants are illegal, numbers are hard to come by. But the South African Institute of Race Relations reckons that there could be as many as 5m foreigners in the country illegally. Many work on the fringes of the economy; some do commit crimes. South Africa benefits too, as many who are skilled and educated flock in. Many foreign teachers and doctors take lower-skilled jobs as gardeners or waiters. Others have started informal businesses. Their relative success has fuelled their neighbours’ ire.

The government’s approach was long to turn a blind eye to mass illegal migration, while a tiny minority of migrants are deported by police. At times the police are heavy-handed or corrupt. Reports of harassment and bribe-taking are common. None of this is eased by the fact that applying for legal migration is almost impossible, except for the most skilled. Despite a chronic shortage of local skilled workers, and thus a desperate need for foreign professionals, it is extremely hard for most outsiders to find legal employment. The ministry of education decided last year to hire foreign teachers to plug in shortages of qualified teachers crippling public schools; but those already in the country struggle to navigate the red tape. South Africa can no longer afford to ignore the fact that, as in many other countries, foreigners will keep on coming."

From me:

Xenophobia: what does this word mean? It means chauvinism, racial intolerance, racism, dislike of foreigners.

The antonym (opposite meaning) is “TOLERANCE”. I would say that the acts of South African citizens have displayed more xenophobia than loving tolerance, despite the strenuous denials of the political leadership. Yes, they are criminal acts, but they are XENOPHOBIC criminal acts against BLACK African foreigners in South Africa.

I am certainly not one to brand an entire country xenophobic, but when enough of its citizens gather to pillage, maim and even rape and kill and the vast majority and the entire security apparatus of the government is unable to stop it and protect innocents, then South Africa and South Africans need to ask themselves long hard questions.

South Africans: your people, your leaders, brothers, sisters, freedom fighters, they stayed in our countries as asylum seekers, they were clothed and fed, treated for wounds, given medicines, given guns and political backing. Your neighbours, the same ones you are beating now for visiting your country – they also had the apartheid regime bomb, beat and maltreat them – because in your time of need they stood with you. We paid special taxes and contributions that were given to your leaders to help fight for your freedom. Without our sheltering them, Umkhontho we Sizwe would not have survived and achieved the success they did. Without we your African brothers and sisters adding our voices and efforts to yours, you would still be labouring under the yoke of apartheid today.

South Africans: today we are in need; we have come to you – our parents, brothers, sisters in our time of need. And you have beaten, maimed, raped and killed us, instead of giving us succour. Why?

Call a spade a spade: there are attacks on African foreigners by South African citizens. The PEOPLE and Government of South Africa need to respond to this and protect Black African Foreigners in South Africa. "EVIL FLOURISHES WHERE GOOD MEN (AND WOMEN) DO NOTHING".

equanamity@gmail.com

I see SA heading the same way as Zimbabwe if the government doesn't act against the violence and against the Zimbabwean government. Comopanies have relocated from Zimbabwe to South Africa leaving Zimbabweans unemployed and they are now following those companies to SA which is bound to cause problems. Mbeki has to act immediately because given the rate at which SA is going South Africans will soon be seeking jobs in other countries and they will soon found out how it feels to be an immigrant.