The month of April in South Africa is the period during which indigenous Africans are reminded of having exercised their birth right of voting for the first time in the land of their ancestors. This exercise took place in 1994, culminating in the election of a democratic president, the global icon, the late Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. The political liberation of South Africa, with all its limitations, such as the continued land dispossession of the Africans, was a consequence of shedding of blood and tears, loss of limb and life by the black majority. Accompanying the huge sacrifices of the black majority was the active support of liberated African countries that, as a result of their support to fellow African freedom fighters, saw the belligerent apartheid regime bombing and killing African countries for sheltering South African freedom fighters. The Organization for African Unity (OAU), predecessor to the African Union (AU) also played a critical role, so are many people across the globe, in ensuring the political liberation of South Africa. So, the political liberation of South Africa was a culmination of pan-African acts of solidarity. 

We are disheartened today that, instead of celebrating the spirit of Pan-Africanism, which the political liberation of South Africa symbolizes, the world has been shocked by images of attacks and killings of fellow Africans from African countries by South African nationals – we are also aware that this is not the first time that South African nationals attack fellow brothers and sisters from other parts of Africa. Some of the reasons advanced for this calamitous situation have been that the victims take away jobs of South African citizens, shut them out of business by selling their items on low prices, distributing drugs and propelling prostitution. None of these alleged acts can be defended and justified - indeed they stand condemned if true. Equally, the brutalization of fellow Africans by South Africans can neither be defended nor justified - these acts stand condemned.

Afrocentricity International adds its voice in calling upon the sections of South Africans who are carrying out these abhorable acts on their brothers and sisters. We emphazise "sections" because we have noted scores of South Africans who have come out strongly to condemn the ill-treatment and killing of fellow Africans. It is tragic that the South African government found itself compelled to make use of the army because the acts were not abating. We wish to urge fellow Africans in other countries who have threatened to retaliate against South Africans to desist from such but to seek creative solutions that will help towards uniting instead of further dividing Africans. The internecine violence undermines the recent efforts in South Africa to remove colonial statues, like that of Cecil Rhodes, in prominent spaces. But removing colonial statues and perpetuating the colonial objective of setting Africans against one another is a contradiction in terms. 

Thus, Afrocentricity International appeals to the South African government to do all that is necessary to ensure that tragic xenophobic attacks to fellow Africans by South African nationals do not happen again. We are pleased that the South African government, albeit at the eleventh hour, is dealing with the challenge. We are encouraged to see many South Africans not only taking action against the attacks to our brothers and sisters but also helping them, in the spirit of Ubuntu.

Unity is our Aim, Victory is our Destiny!

AI South Africa
frocentricityinternational@gmail.com
www.dyabukam.com