AN OPEN LETTER TO US.

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My heart is haemorrhaging from the events taking place in my beloved spiritual homeland, South Africa. I lived in South Africa for over seven years; I embraced the landscape, culture, and became embedded in their way of life. I swear, in a different life time, I could have been South African. Although I miss South Africa as much as I’d miss a beloved family member, I am utterly appalled at the level of violence that some South Africans have been reduced to. My heart bleeds because I am ashamed of their behaviour but also because I understand their emotional disposition. Like many African countries, South Africa is plagued by neo-colonial thinking, instead of embracing the ideals of black consciousness; we’ve chosen to embrace western ideals. Steve Biko argued that the downfall of the black community would not be colonialism, but rather, the robotic adoption of capitalism, the desertion of our heritage and the abandonment of communalism. My African people (when I refer to Africans, I mean every individual born and bred here, not just black individuals), we are consumed by greed, illiteracy, envy, laziness, impunity and finger pointing. Africa was built on the social contact of ‘we the people’. This communal social contact was more important than the, I canon.

For the last three weeks I have sat back and read social media messages condemning the surge of violence in South Africa. I have noticed that none of us have taken a step back and examined our own moral compass. Which of you feels that you have upheld a higher moral compass than the individuals practicing Xenophobia? Which one of you can really say that they have never had negative thoughts towards or spoken against immigrates in your respective countries? If you can answer these questions correctly, then feel free to cast the first stone. If not, hold onto your hats!

 I’ll start off with white South Africans. How many of you believe that the African continent will never develop because the political leaders are black? How many of you wish you could live in Orania, i.e, in complete isolation from all the other races? How many of you, have found yourselves critiquing all black people, publically or privately, based on stereotypes? How many of you, have thought you are more intellectual, more articulate, more hardworking, and therefore more deserving of civil liberties? How many of you, even appreciate the fact that you enjoy privileges that a lot of Black, Coloured, and Indian South Africans dream of? How many of you still think that kaffir is an appropriate word to refer to black people? How many of you have discouraged or disowned a parent, son, daughter, aunt, uncle, grandchild, friend or colleague from dating or marrying a Black, Coloured, mixed race, or Indian individual? How many of you are happy to express your affections between the sheets but not in public, because you’re ashamed or petrified of the social repercussions that might befall you? Lastly how many of you, have thought or said in the last few weeks, Ah look at those dumb black people destroying our country again?

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard or read such remarks from white South Africans. Nowadays I laugh, because I realise these remarks are fuelled by ignorance and irrational fear. The irony is, a great deal of you who hold and practice these views, have contributed to the xenophobic attacks taking place today. You may not have thrown stones, lit a match, or displaced foreigners, but everyday that you’ve discriminated against a black individual; you have contributed to the hatred they have towards their own skin colour.  You’ve assisted in pushing them towards a corner of violence, as they believe that is the only way they can break free from their shackles. So before you point fingers at them, ask yourself what you’ve done to transform the future of South Africa? What have you done to overcome the psychological barriers that Joe Slovo spoke of? Do you identify yourself as a ‘Jon Smith’, Afrikaner, English, or South African first? I suggest that you measure yourself up to your high standards before you argue to be better than your black neighbour!

Black South Africans, you’ve also contributed to the issues at hand. How many of you can say with absolute certainty that you’ve never thought or said something sexist, tribalist, racist, homophobic or Xenophobic? I’ve also read a great deal of social messages from my black brother and sisters, and the sentiments have been the same. We all condemn the violence acts that have been done to foreigners but none of us, in my opinion have the right to belittle the emotions those South Africans. It’s been twenty one years of Independence and the civil liberties that were promised have not been delivered. How many people have received the RDP houses they were promised? How many people have been screwed over by the lack of service delivery and yet are still expected to pay their taxes on time? How many of you have worked your butts off and still cannot afford to give your children a better future than you had? Listen I agree that none of these or any other issues can excuse the surge of violence, however ignoring the root of problem would be as foolish as their actions. Remember Madiba said that no one man or woman was born hating another, hatred is something that is taught and learnt.

Secondly, I have heard a great deal of black South Africans complain about the racism in their country, however some of you also contribute to the problem. Some of you also show and express utter revulsion at interracial relationships. Some of you also express racist remarks or think them. I’ll say to you, racism is racism, whether it is expressed by a white person or black person. Like I said above, you are part of the problem and have contributed to the animosity that we’ve seen in last few weeks.

Thirdly, I understand that you and the national government entered into a social contract and you expect them to not only protect, but provide those civil liberties but that does not mean that the government will hand you those things on a silver platter. You have to work hard to get what you want. Life is not a bed of roses, neither is it a venue for you to steal, intimidate or kill another human being. Those very foreigners that you’ve attacked have been screwed over by their governments as much as you; but rather than turn to criminality they have chosen to work for want they long for. In addition those very foreigners you’ve displaced not only pay their taxes, contribute to your economy, create employment for many of you, but they are a perfect reflection of you. They look like, suffer like you and dream for better, just like you. So rather than hate, why not learn from them?

Now I will move to ANC, EFF, the Zulu King and institutions of higher learning.  None of you have set a good example. You, like everyone else, have also contributed to the state of this nation. To the ANC current political leader, you have continually refused to take responsibility for money that was spent in Nkandla. As the leader of the state, you are meant to serve the people not serve yourself. This is not the age of pre-colonialism where chiefs and kings could live in grandeur, while their subjects lived in abject poverty. The law of the land is to be respected and practised by all.

Secondly, you cannot condemn Xenophobia, when recent laws have shown that, you too are anti-immigration. The new immigration laws are against globalization and the principles of fair economic practice. I understand that you are there to protect the rights of your people, but so are other governments and we are still accepting your citizens in our countries. Like I said, you are part of the problem and you need to fix yourselves, before you can point fingers.

EFF, I have seen passionately participate in political discourse and I admire that sometimes, however respectable conduct must always be maintained. You cannot go around pointing fingers, while your leaders and followers destroyed public property in the name of oppression. You cannot continue setting bad examples in the national assembly and then turn around and condemn Xenophobia. Whether you are part of the opposition or government, you are there to observe the law and set appropriate examples.

In conclusion, we are all to blame for Xenophobia, violence and criminality that has taken place. I am Kenyan and I cannot stand on any moral ground, I have said tribalist, racist and homophobic things, but I own my sins and I have rectified them. What about you? Are you going to own your wrongs and start embracing Madiba’s dream?