What's really wrong in Alex?

2008-05-15 19:00

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Peter Black, News24 User

Glancing at what's been making the headlines, I see report after report denouncing the recent xenophobic incidents in Alexandra and Diepsloot. However, if one digs deeper, with particular reference to columnists writing on the subject, you will notice the majority of them are white and have no clue what's at the heart of these issues.

Dribble, such as we are a caring and forgiving nation, love your neighbour, and treat them as if they were one of us. That is absolute "gutter journalism" as I believe the term is called. These are lopsided anecdotes on how we should be tolerant towards the Zimbabwean refugees that have congregated themselves (the majority illegally) in our country.

Well they would say that wouldn't they - these writers don't even live in Alexandra to provide first-hand perspective on what it like for your home, and living space, to be invaded by illegal occupants.

Two things: I don't see these Zimbabweans moving into plush affluent suburbs, and secondly I don't know too many rich people living in Diepsloot and Alexandra at the moment to really experience the saturation of foreign imports - do you?

Walk a mile in their shoes

To be fair, all that well-off people are really exposed to are (some) Zimbabweans, venturing into the suburb and cities, turning to crime as desperation for securing a sense of "income".

But you are forgetting that this criminal activity is not exclusive to rich people - it is happening on a larger and more violent scale in the townships to people that are far more impoverished than your average degree-educated suburban dweller.

If my "neighbourhood" became saturated with illegal immigrants - taking my land, invading my home (just like what is happening in Alexandra) - I would not be happy. Maybe I wouldn't take it as far as gathering a mob for "public justice", but still, I wouldn't be sitting on my sofa cherry picking, that is for sure.

My point is this: people were far too quick to release scathing reports on the recent xenophobic incidents. Denouncing it as cruel violence and asking what is happening to the rainbow nation, and painting a rosy picture of how we should treat all as equals. Judging others on issues where you have absolutely no experience is downright ignorant.

Sugar-coated

I don't condone the murders that happened - but I sympathise (not empathise, because I don't know what is like for your area to be invaded with a flood of illegal immigrants) - with the frustration they must be feeling with an area already saturated and now boiling over with occupants that have no right to live there.

Next time a journalist wants to sugar-coat a story and paint a nice pretty picture of how people should act and feel, I suggest they go to the heart of the issue and experience it for real; get some perspective and reality on the issue.

We can and must denounce murder because it is fundamentally wrong. But don't judge others' beliefs or feelings or animosity because your views dictate that's how it should be.

As the famous quote of Paulo Coelho goes, "We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path."

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If people really Care for the foreigners why dont they go to Alexandra and invite the illegal immigrants to erect shacks in their own backyard...South africans are gatvol to live amongts this people...invite them to your own house if you really care because the people that have been living with them are now tired...

your article lacks morality, common sense, logic and justifiable facts that foreigners are criminals. There has always been criminals in SA, even b4 the country was invaded by foreigners. Don't blame foreigners for your problems. Don't justify murder for whatever reason

How about you walk in the shoes of the immigrants before you take a stance against people denouncing xenophobia as wrong. No one is saying that life in the townships if peachy. Do you think the Zimbabweans want to be there? The posts on news24 are starting to sound like they come from Nazi Germany, just replace Zimbo with Jew.

While I agree with your sentiment, it doesn't look like you are living in Alexandra either - nor do you look black. So you are in the same position to comment on the situation as the white journalists you are having a go at here. later, thorne

I also completely disagree with murders but I can see where these residents are coming from.Its very easy to sit in front of my computer at home or in the office and vomit Woodstock ideals, but the reality is far from what most of us can imagine and just like u and millions of South Africans,I would not be too happy with illegal?s pouring across the borders and taking jobs and some of them resorting to crime in my area.The damn govt needs to wake up before its to late.They need to stop this flooding of so called refugees.

The illegal immigrant issue has been brewing a long time and this government failed to address the issue and now it is beginning to blow up in their face. I lived next to some Nigerians and we did not get on. Luckly I moved to a good area before I had to put my martial arts skills to good use.

I think that you are just as guilty of that which you are accusing others of.There are far too many questions that needs to be answered and we havent or cannot begin to agree on those questions. Why have we become so intolerant? Simply put we only have ourselves to blame.

"But don't judge others' beliefs or feelings or animosity because your views dictate that's how it should be" So, if the Germans felt, hey, lets invade the world and kill the jews, we should say: "Cool, I wont judge them, thats their believe" That would create a [more] messed up world!!

To be honest all I read in this article was a justification of why violence should not be condoned simply because somebody looks differently from you. Violence is never justifiable unless you're defenidng yourself. Peter Black, you would've done well in policits prior to 94, as your argument is the same that would've been used by old Verwoerd.

I agree fully. Most people write about this topic and attempt to tell people in townships how to feel and act. If they feel so strongly about making illegal immigrants welcome here they should put themselves at risk first before expecting anyone else to take their opinion seriously.

Go to any city in South Africa and there is a crime problem revolving around these illegals. We all feel sorry for the citizens of our neibouring countries, but now we are the victims of their failed economies and we are paying a dear price. Third force...fourth force...any force... it's time to round them up and ship them back to where they came from, and don't forget the Nigerians.

they must get the hell out of this country the are simply put not welcome here. And company's employing these people if they are illegal that is should be heavily fined. good ridence to these illegals go home

Peter, this is exactly the feeling of the people of Alex. Many of these poeple try to get legal paper but the home affairs make it impossible for them. Truth is, we all want to live peaceful, including the illegal immigrants. They are here b'cause instability in Zim and they want shelter. In short lack of service delivery ( immigration papers) from the Govenment is the root cause. The only way to control the situation is to have control over the the influx of these refugee seeking people.

"We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path."

I hate the fact that african people are turning against other africans, how stupid is that? we have got a lot of illegal Chinnes, Indians, whites.....Just because of who they are they are deemed legal emigrants?, Fellow Africans donn't see anything wrong with that!! Damn, ignorance!!!!.

Most of these immigrants are not here by choice they have lost their homes and jobs in their own countries and have come to South Africa to survive. I know many Zimbabweans living in wealthy areas as well poor areas and all they are doing is working to send money home to their families...is that so wrong? Wouldn't you do the same if you lost everything in your homeland - be careful not to judge so harshly - the same could happen in South Africa and you might also try to move out to survive.

these people were up in arms when squaters moved near theur suburbs and yet they are quick to blame the poor. we need to know that these people are competing for the same small scraps that you rich folk throw at them, it obviouse that friction will occur, the government should send them home that is the only solution.

Craig - you missed the point there mate. My point is - I am sure you don't have dozens of illegal immigrants living in your living room. People are too quick to point fingers without understanding the root cause of the violence. Come off your high horse - the air's fresher down here!

I find it odd that so many people commenting don't seem to have read what you wrote. I didn't see you attempting to justify murder (as suggested by Craig) and I equally don't see you making any comments as to what's right and wrong in Alex. What I see is you condemning the murders, but telling those who wish to pass judgement on the background to the murders to go and get a clue first. Though your comment about Zimbos committing crimes in suburbs does require some justification.

You are spot on.In typical SA fashion the real victims of this situation are demonised for trying to protect what is theirs. I always say wit until squater camps start mushroom next to your house and you will feel the pain of the Alex residents.I've seen it in some suburbs in the South of JHB.Illegals must not be allowed to do as they please, roam around the country freely, no matter their circumstances. This is our country and first priority is South Africans.

I can understand the poorer communities taking the law into their own hands. If the upper/middle class person is robbed, they are either insured and will claim or will buy whatever has been stolen in a short amount of time. The poor do not have that luxury, if its stolen its gone forever. How much of the violence is actually xenophobia though, and how much is criminal activity - like when a white man murders a black man its a racist attack, but if a black man murders a white man its normal crime?

Kolobe, Sello and JQ are. When it's your own doing unto your own then it's justifiable i.e. the people in Alexandra are tired blah, blah, f-ing blah. JQ, continuously trumps the African card about this being MY country and what not and what it is in essence to be African and the common answer, is black. Now when Bob's-your-uncle Mugabe is doing the same if not worst to your fellow africans, who mind you sheltered your 'forebears' in the apartheid time, you shun and turn your backs. Hypocrites!!

many of u have not answered the question posed by Peter,and its a simple one.Would u be doing cart wheels and throwing braais with ILLEGAL immigrants if they happened to set up shop on ur front porch?

You both make it sound like immigrants have invaded the houses of locals (RDP houses aside, that is a whole other mess, public servants are doing the same thing, should we rape and kill them?). Where are you getting your facts from? Effectivly it would be the same as a Zimbabwean moving in next door to me. I would not want to rape and kill them. Compare apples with apples. Also you both seem to think refugees are more likely to commit crime than locals, once again were are the facts?

Samora Machel died in plane crush from (South Africa)to attend a meeting that was going to free black S. Africans using the Mozambuican plane burning mozambuican fuel 'NOW THEY ARE FREE THEY ARE KILLING MOZAMBIQUIANS'.UUUUUUM IT'S A FAIR GAME AT THE DARKEST HOUR OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Of course they're here by choice. Things were really bad for them in their home country, they thought things might be better here, so they chose to come here. If someone holds a gun to my head and tells me they'll shoot me if I don't follow their instructions I have a choice as to whether I follow or die. I'm not justifying what's happened in Alex, but please don't make out as if they were brought here and are being held against their will.

I wonder how many of the people living in Alex who support this violence also think Mugabe is a saint? If the ANC (and its voting population) were a little more hard-ass with the Mugger I may be more 'sympathetic' to their feelings of anger towards the immigrants.

its the third force..no wait, its the IFP ...no wait...its criminal elements! What is really wrong is that there are a lot of people that do not have the means to live the lives we do and the paw paw has hit the fan.

No wonder there is so much crime in this country, how can we support refugee's when our guys dont even have jobs, homes, food the list goes on. Come on Stand up for our rights. We must help, but charity begins at HOME !!

Everyone is wrong. Lets not forget Zimbo's voted for Mugabe and a majority of SA voted for the ANC. Zimbo's are now running across the border cause they don't want to live with their mistake or fight for a resolution. The ANC (cause all African leaders are brothers) are not stopping the influx of illegals. Zimbo's need to go back to Zim and try to build their country and South Africans must remember that their government put aliens before their own citezins. Scary ain't it.

"But the killing of people is not the solution"? These people are considered criminals. Hence the violence. SA public is calling for the death sentence for criminals. The death sentence kills people. Alexandra, Diepsloot and others just short cut the judicial process, saving time and money. Maybe some innocent people get killed in the process, but this happens in the judicial systems as well. Problem solved or does this sound too simplistic?

The problem in Alex with The zimbo's will continue in Cape Town with the Nigerians. Look at Parklands and Seapoint. There's more Nigerians than South Africans. The reason because thy are criminals and nobody can stay with the. They sell drugs and weapons and nobody do anything aboaut that. I agree put them out of our country so we can live peace full together...Gat vol in Cape Town

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