Please don’t ask me to go back. Do you think I like staying? For discrimination and xenophobia? Suffering from malaria, cholera and typhoid in a foreign country. Do you think I like staying?

Seeking second hand clothes, if I could help myself, if I could rebuild my homeland. Do you think I like staying? Without my mother, father, sisters and brother. Please don’t ask me why I don’t go back?

Understand that it is not simple or easy – I would if I could – world humatanitarian community. Avoiding past memories, I cannot remove my mind, my traditional culture is my nostalgic torture. The folktales of childhood, never old, never dead, stamped on my mind. I have normal feelings – I suffer for dignity.

Please don’t kill my broken heart, by asking me why don’t you go back? I will, if I can. I wouldn’t stay a moment when the new dawn of peace comes.

(This poem titled ‘If you say, why don’t you go back’, is written by Hassan Ali Said, 2001) Hassan is an Ethiopian refugee living in Uganda.

I chose this poem for its relevance and connections with the chaos which simmers within our South African community. I chose this poem, for its insight into the magnitude of the situation our government has to face, not only to control and bring order but also to help mend peoples’ emotions ,that have been shredded because their colour skin is darker, their accents aren’t local and lekker, they’re proactive and entrepreneurial skills and  bright business acumen.  I chose this poem because in May all Africans, on this beautiful continent should be celebrating their ‘Africanness’, united as proud Africans rather than murdering brothers and sisters in cold blood.

I will not try and understand how this was allowed to unfold as I want to believe I will be opening a can of worms. Fifty foreigners are dead – and only later was the army deployed into the registered and potential ‘hotspots’…will this effort be enough to disband the rampant tyrants that are running riot in and out of the communities? Where are we headed to? I sure hope that sanity will prevail before more people die.

I tell you now, this is not the memory, we should hold in the bottom of our minds as we reflect and think about the advent of the African Renaissance. Africa month and Africa day, should have been more festive, filled with hope, peace, love and Ubuntu for all in Africa and the diaspora. Instead, I remember crying endless tears of deep remorse and sorrow.  I cried and cried; till my heart almost stopped beating and my lungs began to suffocate.

Sighs! I suppose, this happened because people do not understand each other’s cultures and backgrounds; anything that is not like me is bad; anything that is like me, because of low self-esteem, is as bad as I and therefore, not desirable. The society may not have been sufficiently prepared for the changes that came with freedom and the opening of our borders which has led to the large pool of foreigners sweeping the country.  Perhaps, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, should have addressed the public beforehand of possible implications and possible solutions. But all these I should have, could have and what ifs…are just adding more salt to the wound.

But thankfully, the light at the end of the dark tunnel, still glimmers brightly…the talks may produce something good for the country – a ‘never again’ statement which will ensure a future that is safe and bright for all.

I spoke to a few students from DUT and High Schools around Durban, about their understanding of the meaning of ‘Africanness’. I asked the following question, for instance; what do you think Africa Day is about?

One student aged 19 said that, “I think it is a celebration of all achievements by Africans. It is a time to reflect and look ahead at how we can improve the lives of Africans”.

How would you like to celebrate Africa Day?

Another one aged 15 said that, “ I would like to learn more about African countries and interact with people from other African countries, so that I can understand, their backgrounds and how they live compared to me.

Yet another student aged 20 expressed the following, “he’d love to take a trip to a different African country ever year”.

These are Africans, who are showing love for their fellow African neighbours. So why can’t the rest of the nation embrace foreigners, who’ve lost their homes, with compassion and respect? In South Africa, we are privileged enough to be exposed to such incredible diversity, of culture, language etc however it would seem we really need to travel to other countries to experience how people else where live. I believe, we are taking advantage of this particular privilege by abusing our fellow brother.  What we don’t realise, is that this could backfire on us. Especially South African citizens, living in our neighbouring Africans countries, they could get directly targeted by violent angry mobs and their lives could be put in danger.

 What can we do, to get back into the international good books where we have been the envy of many?  I believe that, the only way to purge our nation of these horrendous acts is if we stand together and crush these oppressors, once and for all.   

 

 

Hlumelo G Nyikana

Journalism 2nd year