MaZimba Maviri Ofa Chitemwa NeMatombo KuPretoriaSouth Africa – A xenophobic mob in Laudium, Pretoria, has brutally stoned two Zimbabwean nationals to death, accusing them of attempted robbery.
Armed with stones and logs, enraged residents recently unleashed their fury, claiming the two men were part of gangs terrorizing the community.Despite the grave situation, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and paramedics delayed their response, arriving hours later when the victims had already succumbed to their injuries.
Such incidents of vigilantism and xenophobic violence are alarmingly common in South Africa’s informal settlements and high-density suburbs, where foreign nationals are scapegoated for rampant crime and unemployment.
These accusations often lack substantial evidence but thrive on a toxic narrative perpetuated by politicians who exploit such sentiments to gain political mileage, further stoking hostility against immigrants.
South Africa is notorious for violence, with daily killings surpassing rates in some war-torn regions, and remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
Many South Africans have forgotten the solidarity extended to them by neighbouring countries, like during the apartheid era.Nations across the region provided refuge and support to South Africa’s liberation fighters, yet today, immigrants from those same countries face relentless hostility and death.
While locals vent their frustrations on African migrants, accusing them of crimes and job theft, they remain silent about the dominance of the white minority, which still controls an estimated 95% of the economy decades after apartheid ended.
This enduring economic monopoly perpetuates systemic inequalities, leaving the majority black population in poverty while shielding white wealth and privilege.
Fear of challenging entrenched white economic power stands in contrast to the brutality meted out to fellow Africans seeking refuge.
These migrants, fleeing economic and political crises in their home countries, become easy targets for a frustrated populace unwilling or unable to confront the deeper roots of inequality and injustice.
Until Mzansi confronts its economic disparities and dismantles the structural racism that underpins them, the cycle of violence, scapegoating, and misplaced rage will continue unabated.
