From history we can see that such type of violence is not limited to African countries. Even France has recently experienced street youth violence, this is the same France that had a violent uprising of the poor masses against the rich class a century or so ago!

Mbeki happens to be in power now, had Nelson Mandela been the one in postion as the president at the moment, chances are that, violence would have happened, may not exactly the same way, but some-how those economically deprived youth would have expressed their displeasure in some urgly public form.

About Zimbabwe, when Mugabe is out of power, and hopefully soon, any leader that comes in, will be faced with land and race issues as well as immediate economic meltdown of that nation. I don’t think anyone can improve the economy of Zimbabwe let alone get UK’s financial support without returning the land to the white firmers. And once any leader does that, he or she will have dag their political grave.

I think Mbeki has to shouldder some of the blame here because he has supported Mugabe’s dictatorial regime for years and many of these people are economic immigrants trying to escape the collapsed economy in neighboring Zimbabwe.
Mbeki needs to tell his comrade in arms, mugabe, to give up the fight and let other people fix that country, but his refused to do it and the consequences of that are now spilling over into South Africa.

Ory, thanks for the update on the situation. I am trying to understand what triggered the outbreak of violence at this particular time. I am sure that the South Africans did not just wake up one morning and decide to go berserk. What is it that tipped the scales, moving Xenophobic violence from random attacks to a more orchestrated assault on all foreigners in the country?

Does anyone have any ideas on how we can generate a paradigm shift for African people, moving them from resorting to violence to dialog-driven solutions? Call to enlightenment? Education?

First and foremost, thank God you and your family are safe! And secondly, keep up the sunny and positive disposition you always have………..you’ve been through a lot with the Kenyan crisis and now this, especially feeling on edge in your every day backyard! It is certainly enough to make one despair but there are always silver linings.

I think the SA situation mirrors to a certain degree the Kenyan one……simmering resentments and rage that have not found outlets for acknowledgement and redress and now have exploded. I think widespread xenophobia is indisputable but I do not think some of the reasons are without merit. As much as the rest of the continent supported South Africa during apartheid, the fact still remains that South Africans mostly suffered alone. And that is not to blame anyone else for not sharing in the suffering, it is just a simple fact. I have also read some excellent analyses about how South Africa is struggling with its identity now some 14 years in to nationhood. The burden of unrealized expectations, the legacy of apartheid and the dual societies and economies…….again, by no means is this a justification just an observation that South Africans are in no mood to be magnanimous when there is such widespread disaffection and dissatisfaction with the status quo.

And the irony of the situation is that South Africa will need a large influx of skilled labor, preferably other Africans to sustain and expand the economic growth needed to build a robust middle class but understandably that is a HARD PILL for the working class in the country to swallow because of the immediate implications of that. Perhaps it will be beneficial for South Africans to have their period of isolation and insularity, and let them see for themselves if this is truly the cure for their problems. I think the mistake many have made, especially Mbeki is downplaying the causes and effects of this xenophobia, and wishing it away……and now it is blown up in everybodys face and is front and center to be dealt with.