{"id":109891,"date":"2015-04-20T11:42:25","date_gmt":"2015-04-20T11:42:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=109891"},"modified":"2015-04-20T12:24:47","modified_gmt":"2015-04-20T12:24:47","slug":"4-reasons-sas-xenophobic-attacks-go-beyond-the-kings-instigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=109891","title":{"rendered":"4 reasons SA’s xenophobic attacks go beyond the King’s instigation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini has largely been blamed for fuelling xenophobic attacks\u00a0in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) which has led to the loss of lives including a Ghanaian<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

King Zwelithini at a ceremony asked foreigners living in South Africa to go back to their respective countries saying, \u201cwe are requesting those who come from outside to please go back to their countries.\u201d<\/p>\n

[contextly_sidebar id=”5cI6pod9A4Zwqne1DUgRMbsKh2bZf2U7″]He however accused the media of “misinterpreting his words and distorting them to sell newspapers.”<\/p>\n

There has been severe backlash on black South Africans for perpetrating violence against their colleague Africans who stood by them throughout the apartheid period.<\/p>\n

But according to the Executive Director of the African Evaluation Association, Samuel Braimah, the xenophobic attacks go beyond the pronouncement of King Zwelithini.<\/p>\n

Attitude of resentment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Braimah, who was also a researcher and spent a number of years at KwaZulu-Natal, attributed the ongoing violence to attitude of South Africans towards other Africans.<\/p>\n

He recalled that one of his sons at age 17 was attacked in High School by Zulu boys for being unable to respond to them in the Zulu language.<\/p>\n

He also mentioned that during his stay at KwaZulu-Natal, he faced difficulty in renewing his work permit saying, \u201cthey collected my papers, dropped it on the ground and said don\u2019t we have senior researchers in South Africa?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an attitude of resentment towards other Africans. I can say they really hate other African with a passion. That hatred is there so any statement that is made will spark off anything,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

He was however quick to add that there are black South Africans who can be very friendly.<\/p>\n

Educational System<\/strong><\/p>\n

Braimah also indicated that the South African Educational system has given rise to the employment rate in the country.<\/p>\n

According to him, their educational system during the apartheid regime was limited to an education which was not employable.<\/p>\n

However, after apartheid system, the new system which was introduced by their leaders did not make much of a difference.<\/p>\n

This system, he said, \u201cperpetrates the production of black young people who have degrees but who are not employable.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a result, their attitude of resentment coupled with graduates who are unemployable \u201ccreates an atmosphere where a single statement by a King can spark this violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Culture of violence<\/strong><\/p>\n

He also listed the culture of violence existing in South Africa due to the years of struggles and inhumane treatments they received during the apartheid regime.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll that they have known is violence and therefore if they want to express something, they express it in violence\u2026so this is the background for the violence,\u201d he observed.<\/p>\n

Briamah remarked that foreigners who migrate to South Africa with little or no money end up becoming rich and this situation infuriates indigenes.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery society, there is that issue of \u2018this person is doing better\u2019 but in South Africa, the foreigners arrived with nothing but they have moved from that zero to somewhere so why can\u2019t they also build from the ground?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

He nonetheless pointed out that other nationals living in South Africa are the ones handling the country\u2019s economy and they refuse to employ black South Africans due to the lack of trust.<\/p>\n

Yawning gap between the rich and the poor<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is also a sharp, sharp, sharp contrast between the rich and the poor in South Africa,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Briamah observed that the black empowerment scheme put in place by South African governments after apartheid has not affected the lives of the majority of the poor positively.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a few who have managed to step out of poverty,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Click on link below to listen to Samuel Braimah speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show<\/strong><\/p>\n