Is South Africa Off Limits to Other Africans? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

A screenshot of a YouTube video posted by Ren TV showing an attack on an Ethiopian national.
Recent violence in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Durban is being attributed to comments made by the Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, who allegedly told foreigners to go home. The attacks involved beatings, killings, and burning and looting shops and property owned by foreigners. Five people have been killed, including a 14-year-old boy who was shot on Monday. Over 1,000 foreigners have fled their homes.
Some South Africans accuse foreigners of taking away jobs, businesses, and engaging in criminal activities.
Between 2000 and 2008, at least 67 people died in xenophobic attacks. In May 2008, a series of riots left 60 people dead. In January this year, four people were killed in Johannesburg in similar attacks.
Using the hashtags #XenophobicSA and #AfrophobicSA South Africans and non-South Africans immediately took to Twitter to express their disgust and shock at the brutality displayed by South Africans and lack of action from the South African government.
Nakaka Ronald, a technology adviser from Tanzania, wrote:
Steve Biko's #blackconsciousness philosophy & sacrifice are rendered meaningless in #AfrophobicSA & #XenophobicSA pic.twitter.com/cjXuxKyWCF
— Nakaka Ronald (@rnakaka) April 15, 2015
(Black Consciousness is a political and philosophical movement to transform Black thought that was founded by South Africa anti-Apartheid hero Steve Biko.)
Oyinlola, a poet and author based in Ireland, asked South Africans:
Hello South Africans do you realise you have your citizens in other African countries too? #SouthAfrica #XenophobicSA
— Oyinlola (@lollybubbles) April 15, 2015
Ghadafi Ghadafi from Kenya asked:
How different are they from the whites that lynched and hanged Blacks or the whites that imposed apartheid on them? #XenophobicSA
— GHADAFI GHADAFI (@DunMillz) April 10, 2015
Another Kenyan Twitter user, Nyawira Njoroge, wrote:
I have always thought that I would feel at home anywhere in Africa. Clearly I was naive. #XenophobicSA
— Nyawira Njoroge (@NyawiraNjoroge) April 11, 2015
Responding to claims that foreigners take up local jobs,Abi Mwachi, a medical doctor based in Mombasa, Kenya, suggested:
The easiest way to get a job held by an expatriate is to go to school; not to a machete's shop. #XenophobicSA #xenophobicattacks
— Abi Mwachi M.D (@abimwachi) April 10, 2015
Joan Mumbua concluded that Africa will remain a Third World continent:
As Kenya is busy fighting terrorism #XenophobicSA are busy terrorizing their fellow Africans. We will remain a 3rd world continent! Nkt
— Joan mumbua (@Joangor25) April 10, 2015
Meanwhile, James Chikonamombe, a Zimbabwean national based in the US, saw the attacks as evidence of the failure of Pan Africanism (a political philosophy that promotes solidarity among Africans):
Pan-Africanism (however defined) is the toughest sell to Tribal Africans (however defined). #XenophobicSA
— James Chikonamombe (@Zichivhu) April 11, 2015
Referring to the recent removal of the colonialist statue of Cecil Rhodes at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, Ashley Mendelowitz tweeted:
The irony of taking down colonial statues one day and fellow Africans the next #XenophobicSA
— Ashley Mendelowitz (@AshMendelo) April 11, 2015
South African journalist Nomsa Maseko addresed her tweet to South Africans and the country's political leaders:
Where are South Africa's political leaders, church elders and youth leaders? Moral courage? Setting the agenda? #XenophobicSA #AfrophobicSA
— Nomsa Maseko (@nomsa_maseko) April 15, 2015
Another Twitter user compared the attackers to militants from the militant groups Al Shabaab and Boko Haram:
There's no difference between Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and the people responsible for burning those children alive. #XenophobicSA
— President Vusani (@Vusani_) April 11, 2015
Zimbabwean poet Larry Kwirirayi warned social media users against spreading misinformation:
While what is happening in SA is horrible, be careful abt recycling old pics of violence in SA & acting like they're current. #XenophobicSA
— larry kwirirayi (@kwirirayi) April 15, 2015
South Africa is like Egypt, wrote James Chikonamombe:
#XenophobicSA: Like Egypt, SAfrica is “in” Africa but not “off” Africa.That's the sad reality, thanks to 300yrs of mental oppression.
— James Chikonamombe (@Zichivhu) April 15, 2015
Tweeting from South Africa, a supporter of a borderless Africa observed:
These Xenophobic attacks have nothing to do with people entering borders illegally, we are just wired to hate other Africans #XenophobicSA
— Thapelo (@mokhathi) April 11, 2015
Mukula and Caroline Kere discussed how other Africans have sacrificed for South Africa's liberation:
@Mukulaa we did the same in high school, we gave 50 shillings, it's more #AfrophobicSA than #XenophobicSA ,they dislike “OTHER” Africans …
— Caroline Kere (@carolinekere) April 12, 2015
On the same point, AKA said:
During Apartheid it was these same “foreigners” that sheltered our freedom fighters …
— AKA (@akaworldwide) April 15, 2015
Some Twitter users took note of the fact that businesses owned by white immigrants were not attacked.
Tatenande from Namibia asked:
How many white foreign owned shops have been looted? #XenophobicSA
— tatenande (@tatenande) April 15, 2015
However, Wadzanai Thembani, argued:
Dear @BBCAfrica @africarenewal @DA_News @allafrica #XenophobicSA #Xenophobia #Africa things have got to change pic.twitter.com/f2E9aWC7tK
— Wadzanai Thembani (@wadziethembie) April 15, 2015