The historical background of suppressing xenophobia.
Gradually this kind of violence is spreading to other regions and becoming more indiscriminate in Africa, despite the assurances by the minister of the police and the president that the situation is under control.
As an African in Africa I wish to air my views on the issue of our fellow African brothers attacking other Africans from neighbouring African states.
The huge task ahead for all in this continent is to work together towards the realisation of the dream of making this the century where Africa begins to regain the respect and dignity in the world.
Ayi Kweyi Arman from his book "Two thousand seasons" echoes the teachings of the philosophy which taught that "black is beautiful" and that "we are black and proud".
I find myself asking if there is order in this universe? Is there a purpose to all the extraordinarily uncalled for events that we witnessed earlier this year? I grapple with these questions as I review some of these xenophobic incidents.
To achieve the dream of a united Africa certain things need to be achieved sooner rather than later.
The first is unity among African people in Africa. Influential leaders need to foster unity on the continent.
We will never achieve that if South Africans regard a Zimbabwean as someone from another planet. People must be exposed to books of people like Don Mattera's "Five magic pebbles".
From that they would know that long, long ago, before the people of Europe set foot in Africa, there were no borders, no fences and no guards.
Africans lived where they pleased, respecting one another and sharing what they had. In fact the dream to unite Africa is not new. The late Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana dreamed about the United States of Africa and in some measure the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was forged in order to help fulfill that dream.
To make sure that we begin to rebuild a smooth neighbourhood in our continent, the government should put in place a system that facilitates an exchange of students from one African country to another, for a year of academic and socio-cultural experiences.
The silence of the continent's leaders in situations where their contemporaries are in the wrong does not bode well for the world.
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Down with xenophobia and no to pogroms!
Rolly Xipu
Ahmed Kathrada once said: "If you remain ignorant about what happened before you were born, you remain a child!"
We need to look back in our history to see the history of immigration in this country.
There are many reasons why people come to South Africa. In the 1800s, diamond and gold were discovered in South Africa.
Local and foreign nationals were recruited to work in the mines. It is alleged that the majority of Africans living in South Africa refused to work in the mines.
The government of the day imposed a head tax of R2,50 per annum on all adult males. This was to force black South Africans from their land to work in the mines as cheap unskilled labour.
Africans from neighbouring countries and within the continent were also recruited to work in the mines as cheap labour. The mining industry in South Africa is older than 100 years.
Workers from neighbouring African countries have helped to build our mining industry.
The current Immigration Act allows these foreigners to apply for permanent residence status.
* a foreigner who has been a resident in this country on a work permit for a continuous period of five years and who has received a permanent offer of employment.
* a foreigner who has been the spouse of a South African citizen or permanent resident for a continuous period of five years.
* a foreigner who has been offered permanent employment, provided that satisfactory proof is submitted that no suitably qualified South African citizen was available to fill the position.
* a foreigner who has exceptional skills or qualifications, subject to the same criteria applicable to the exceptional skills work permit category.
* a foreigner who wishes to establish a business or invest in an existing business in South Africa, subject to the same criteria applicable to a business permit under temporary residence.
* a foreigner who has been a recognized refugee in South Africa for a period of five years.
So no legal immigrant/foreigner can remain a foreigner for life.
Africa belongs to all who live in it. In one Numsa company during a retrenchment meeting, comrades were called to order for proposing that all Shangaans must take voluntary retrenchment packages.
This scourge of xenophobic attacks is not Africa's problem alone. According to the Star of June 9 2008, "About 3000 gypsies have taken to the streets of Rome to protest against alleged xenophobia." Many were left homeless after their houses were burnt in attacks.
Down with tribalism and no to xenophobia!
—– box with these two opinion pieces..
Cosatu resolution from 2000 congress
Uprooting Racism, Tribalism and Xenophobia
This Congress,
Noting
1. Racism remains a major threat to the consolidation of our social transformation. It is a major source of divisions threatening working class unity. It also undermines working class unity and its role as the key motive force for fundamental change in our country and globally.
2. The progressive labour movement in general and Cosatu in particular played an important role in the liberation of our country and continues to participate actively in shaping our society to achieve the strategic objective of a united, non-sexist, non-racial democracy.
3. One of Cosatu’s founding principles is non-racialism and international worker solidarity.
4. As a country, whilst we are beginning to address the problems of past racism, the majority of our people in the country live in abject poverty and work under slave conditions.
5. South Africa is a diverse country with many different cultures because of the past; we acknowledge the enormous task, not only of government but of society as a whole to begin to change the mindset of the people.
6. The deep-rooted problems of racism, tribalism and xenophobia are today making the road to building a truly non-racial society much more difficult.
Racism is a class issue and should be defined in that context, while tribalism is a special breed of race, power and supremacy.
7. When elections are looming, some elements within our ranks bring this issue to the fore on a much higher level with devastating effects in the pursuance of personal interest and as a result performance and ability is ignored.
8. Xenophobia is an additional negative mindset that is dividing the working class in our country and internationally.
Further noting,
South Africa will be hosting the UN World Conference against Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001.
Resolves
1. To reject the notions of racism, tribalism and xenophobia, and to maintain the unity of the oppressed masses of our country.
2. To develop a solid class analysis of racism, tribalism and xenophobia.
3. To develop a coherent national public campaign against racism, tribalism and xenophobia.
4. Through its affiliates, regions and locals, COSATU must embark on a systematic and aggressive campaign to educate our members, families and communities on the importance of non-racial unity and worker solidarity. This campaign must create awareness of the demon of racism, tribalism and xenophobia and its manifestation at a socio-economic and cultural level.
5. Our recruitment and organising campaigns must intensify and build worker solidarity across racial lines. This must help deepen understanding amongst all South Africans of our history, the nature and manifestations of racism, with the aim of building class-consciousness on the need for workers to unite.
This will contribute to the deracialisation of the working class and the demise of racially based trade unionism.
6. COSATU must ensure that at every workplace a copy of the Employment Equity Act and other relevant legislation are made available, that members understand it and are able to exercise their rights and responsibilities under the law. Implementation strategies should be formulated for such legislation.
COSATU should campaign for the provision of resources by government and employers for educational programmes on the Employment Equity Act.
7. Every union structure should have on its agenda the issue of eliminating racism, tribalism and xenophobia, and a programme of action to implement an Anti-Racism Audit within clearly defined time frames for engagement with management.
8. Mass media aimed at reinforcing our values of dignity, respect and non-racialism must be produced and distributed through our locals and branches.
9. Education should, from an early age, include programmes aimed at combating racism, tribalism and xenophobia. The new revised curricula statement should reflect this commitment.
10. The Federation must develop a dynamic relationship with organisations and institutions on issues of racism, tribalism and xenophobia, and establish forums with other organs of civil society organisations especially SANCO and SANGOCO to debate and campaign against these ills leading up to and after the UN World Conference. COSATU should develop a submission for the Conference.
11. COSATU must ensure that government promotes more integrated communities, and dismantles all forms of institutionalised racism by creating a representative public sector as a fundamental stepping-stone to a non-racial society.
Questions for discussion:
• Are there any issues that you think we need to add to this Cosatu resolution?
• How far have Numsa and Cosatu gone in implementing these resolutions?
• Where have we failed?
Source
Numsa News No 20 2008