Its bloody shocking….. i think its time to realize that south africa is dropping the ball big time in a lot of issues, from service delivery, law enforcement, education, probably all sectors of government. It needs a new generation of leader from a new party, ANC, DA, ID etc…. are all not fit to run the country either.

Its looking grim!

You know, it amazes me. Why does the world think that South Africa can absorb so many illegal immigrants in the order of 3 to 4 million? How would England, France or Germany cope with a sudden influx of 3 to 4 million people. I am sure there would be riots in Manchester, Paris and Frankfurt. I don’t see why South Africa should feel obliged to take on these millions from their neighbouring countries when they only had to support a few thousand South African refugees.

The fact that this is happening in South Africa means that the country will face serious ethnic problems in future. The immigrants may go, due to the attacks, but unemployment does not end in a flash. When the immigrants are gone, or reduced in number, the attackers will face “new enemies”. And that is when the fuitility of such violent reactions begin to dawn on the people.

Its so shocking to see the behaviour that the people of our country is like. This country needs more people to stand up and take control because there are a lot of innocent people suffering…..and for what? No man if we lose the world cup it will be because we deserve it. the same people messing up this place are the same people who the country is trying to help. People must do something

I find it difficult even today, 14 years after the demise of apartheid, to comfortably refer to South Africa as a “rainbow nation”. Considering the number of problems it still has in so many sectors (Neo hit it on the head- education, service delivery, law enforcement, the list goes on), giving it such a name is simply a cop-out. Let’s accept that the alternative of admitting the reality would shatter a fantasy that is quite obviously still far too great to achieve. What apartheid did was enforce a brutal system of violence, aggression, bitterness, and anger, and the remnants of that structure are still very much present today. The immigrant situation is only one example of the way this backlash has survived. Essentially, what this country needs is a change of government. No more Thabo Mbeki, and certainly not Jacob Zuma, for that matter. It is difficult after a leader like Mandela to follow suit, but the ANC is not what it used to be (a freedom party), and a complete switch in government would be more promising.

Cowards…..all those years under apartheid others marched on their behalf for their freedom. Now when they need to show solidarity to their fellow Africans they call them foreigners and betray us all who hope for mankind. Yes there are problems that they need to address but that is a lame excuse for MURDER…The government may well be weak but you would hope that the people of South Africa showed strength of character and goodwill towards others in need of refuge.

Like many others I was happy they got the go ahead to host the world cup. Not anymore.Take it away from them they are not fit to host the beautiful game and reap the benefits that goes with it. Who would trust a people like that?

I thank south africa for accomodating imigrant,but i want them to see other africa continet as their bone and flesh ,no need to discriminate, africa is africa,south africans see today nobody knows tomorow stop killing your brothers

I support Brad’s statement.Am from east africa and i am appalled by these attacks.We also have our share of problems and even in my home country kenya - when there was election crisis - no foreigner was attacked or killed.Thats why our tourism is picking up much faster than expected.

For black south africans to blame foreigners for the problems that they have is such a big lie and shows they are in denial when in fact most of their problems are home-grown.When Rwanda,Burundi,Congo and other african countries had war, the neighbouring countries kept the refugees safe, and when peace returned the refugees went back to build their countries.Look at Rwanda,its a model case of how a country can rebuild itself.

So if they want south africa for themselves,let them have it - crime,unemployment,and other problems will still be there.If they need a scapegoat let them be honest enough to blame their leaders.And that world-cup will be in SA, already they’ve lost a big number of potential african tourists who would have gone there.No country is an Island and they should remeber what goes around comes around.

I find it hard to believe, that SA with all its economic might,is considering calling the army to quell the violence.How is it that the police can’t handle the situation? Its unbelievable.South africans need to stop believing that they are better than other africans.With next year being election year, then this violence thats happening now is just the tip of the iceberg.There’s obviously something very wrong somewhere.

I am a Kenyan living in South Africa and the situation is scary. Some of these government leaders resided in the rest of Africa during the apartheid has been unable to instill to its people the importance of accomodating foreigners from these same African states.
A failure in their leadership. The same government, whose leader, Thabo Mbeki has tried to be a forefront for a united Africa, has been unable to unite Africa in South Africa.
Hence, the failure of Mbeki’s goverment to his people and the continent as a whole.

I’m shocked that people still support these attacks, I take it then that they are in full support of the attacks on the children and the raping of the women too that are happening. As for fake ID’s, they are being done by South African government officials on the inside, one fuels the other.
As I write, attacks have spread to the city of Durban as of yesterday late afternoon with attacks on Nigerians and we are monitoring the situation. If the scale of these attacks grow in Durban (KwaZulu-Natal), the Johannesburg attacks will seem like childs play.
As for Tallie’s comments, I agree with them 100 percent, it’s been over 17 years. Seriously, what the…!

It’s very easy to blame when your not here in South Africa…Everyone that reads, listen or writes on this blog seems to forget where it all started. In 1994, Nelson Mandela was released and voted out of prison by this very same apartheid regime that everybody wants to crucify and blame for their misfortune today. South Africans at that stage were told by reigning apartheid regime that democracy was the way to go…. Although I am a loud supporter of democracy, it does not seem to be working in Africa and South Africa for that matter. I would like to ask anyone on this blog, what makes them think that South Africa would be any different from any other African country, like Zim, Uganda, Congo, or Sudan in 20 years. Why is everyone running away….White South Africans are fleeing by the millions only difference is they use passports and legitimate means and the rest of is fleeing by foot like the people from Sudan and Zim. The existing Government is like a festering wound rotten to the core. I sympathize with all the Africans that suffer from these democracies but want to note that for Zimbabweans that was killed in these resent attacks, thousands of other South Africans are also tortured and killed daily and no one seems to care. Statistics for these murders are hidden away by our beloved democracy. This ranges in all races… Especially white South African farmers and their black South African employees. Now the question is: What does democracy bring to the table for those same White South Africans who voted Nelson Mandela out of prison in 1994????
Countries on the other side of the fence and Western Country’s (U.K., Australia) has a hand in all that is currently happening in South Africa. All the outside Countrys feel very sorry for us South Africans but they still stand by and watch how everything goes down the drain. Example Zimbabwe………..

Is the only difference between today and a few weeks ago the fact that it is now hitting international news???

How many murders are there on a daily basis? How many rapes? How many (white, black, Indian) people suffer mercilessly at the hands of criminals on a daily basis there?

How many of us South Africans living in Europe, live here because this is NOT NEWS TO US!

I’m sorry for what is happening in SA. Very sorry.

But I am “happy” that the rest of the world is finally taking notice of something that has been a problem for years!

This is not news. This was “day-to-day” life for many of us when we were still in SA - wasn’t it?

**(pkay)**

to answer your question i qoute “Who do South Africans thing there?” firstly your english is appalling and needss some revamping as for your question South Africans are human beings not some animals i don’t know from where. for your claim that we are lazy sorry fish i think its who is master of laziness coz tell me if you run away from your problems who’ll sort ‘em out.

It’s true, this xenophobic violence doesn’t come close to the day to day violence we are plagued with, the deaths from these latest attacks don’t even near the daily figure for murders in SA, however this is getting the worlds media attention just because it involves cross-border tensions. It is sad but atleast it’s putting a spotlight on a small piece of the murder statistics and what we have to live with. Some parts of Iraq are a holiday compared to South Africa.

I have read the comments posted at the time of typing this . Neo has indeed hit the nail on the head but allow me, who has lost substantially , money , assets and businesses in this country to clarify some grey areas .I am a South African woman . I have lived through the apartheid years and the new government but I never voted in this country because not one single political party met my criteria of what I expect of a government . This country has fast contracted the inherent decay that permeates all African countries , bribery and corruption driven by an incompetent government . Indeed the colonial era left its scares . I am an Indian . We are always marginalised . THere is NO equality todate in this country . Different racial groups are rated on a points system in tendering for government contracts . African women get 10 pts and Indian women 6 pts ! White men less and everyone else fall inbetween yet there is no compromise in the standard of service expected i.t.o. the contracts that are tendered for !! THere are several areas of schisms in every single eschelon of government . In the drive of affirmative action, skilled people were retired prematurely to be replaced by unskilled black people and more worringly , other black foreigners of dubious merit. I witnessed first hand and indeed dealt with xenophobia in Mpumalanga township & Georgedale in Hammersdale KZN where there was a growing dissent in 1997 towards the negative social and commercial influences of the foreign settlers who perpetrated the majority of crime in the area and introduced a drugs in both narcotics and prescription medical drugs stolen from state hospitals and clinics with the name tags still on the packaging which were flogged to local practicianers . The foreigners comprised people from all the neighbouring countries with whom the local black police force were complicit in certain crimes . With the police being corrupt the local blacks were powerless and simply had to endure ! All officials are too busy paying bowed homage in the kissing stakes to bother with the man on the street . The citizen is begging in a country he and his kin helped build ! I have been subjected to 5 armed robberies ( 2 successful ) and 5 attempted armed hijackings ( all unsuccessful thus far and a number of other crimes too numerous to mention here ) yet this government seeks to disarm its citizens and allow the foreigners the freedom of bearing unlicenced firearms . We are nothing but soft targets -sitting ducks !! What do we have to fight back with in our daily penance of working to survive the critical situations we are faced in the lack of services we pay for ? Nothing ! This is only the beginning ! There is more trouble in the offing . I support ridding the country of all illegal foreigners who commit crime at will and escape through our porous borders to return another day and continue their democratic shopping sprees . Glorious reports are rendered on the progress the government’s achievements and the outside world laps it up . Their representatives live in 5 star hotels and have security and body guards - they go back with glowing reports - all lies ! The rich get richer and the poor poorer because the poor are the first people to lose in crime - they are the most vulnerable . They have realised this and are fighting back . Power to them I say . Once the foreigners are out ( those people who made us beggars in our own land ) then we can get on with sorting out the rest of the issues . This country is our birthright and we have therefore a right to protect it and our interests , this is what is happening now . It was predicted and must be expected to spread throughout the country . It is mopping up time . THe government is a servant of the people - if the government won’t deliver on their promises then the people must make alternate arrangements to safeguard themselves and their futures.

I was in SA .. and saw the root of whats happening :

Greedy big corporations and capitalist individuals .. both black n white .. with no social concience .. hand in hand with politicians of the same caliber … all stuffing their pockets in face of and indifferent to the powerty around them .. dancing around the gold -calf whilst hiding under the goodwill umbrella created by Mandela …
THAT is the problem !
There was an advertisement on the roads of Johannesburg
picturing a wellnourished black VD emananting selfconfidence stating :
Everybody deserves a second chance .. Nobody will get it!
( in our corporation )

With THAT attitude … everything rotten can and will happen !

Society is based on a contract between people …

Somebody … in South Africa and besides … in the rest of the world .. seem to have forgotten in the hurry of bailing out insolvent big international capital!

There could be good use for some Castros , Che Guevarras and Lenins as well as Maos at present … but those with that inclination all seem to have become hedgefund managers !

Hey!!! South Africans why bringing this Shame & Drama for Africans..! remember Apartheid? How Africans and the rest accomodated and fought for you all? Let me ask you attacking what your visitors is it the right thing to do?
What happen by taken your problems to your Government or at least fight them and not these helpless Afican Brodas?

During Apartheid regime how many white heads did you cowards cut? Shame on you! I want to let these misrable criminals trying to write the name of SA in the worlds most Barbaric Black Book to put a stop to it now thats its too early or face the wrath of God later! In a civilised country like SouthAfrica i bet this kind of thing is not suppose to be discussed much more to happen! I still wonder how you guys are really going to host the 2010 world cup with this kind of Hatered for fellow humans? For your informations more foriengers and companies will definitely come to SouthAfrica to work and help make the upcoming world cup a success..so i bet you haters should get ready to waste more blood!!!!
You cant be an island folks, So many south african are in other parts of Africa nd Europe and American scouting for jobs and getting it too..! Enjoying where they didnt sow and uptill now no one has asked them to leave the country. I have some SouthAfricans working is some firms here in luleå Sweden and no one has raised an eye-brow on them..! Inspite that some Swedes here are craving for jobs! Anyway if thats is your mentality you better let it go with the wind cos South Africa is not the best or Better than most African Countries..! Do not let Mandela fight to be in vain nor let these wonderful man down by your actions you miscreants looking for job! Please project good image of your dear country.. SouthAfrica still has great talented inividuals! People of goodwill and character! LET THIS SAD DEVELOPMENT STOP!

all this talk is from people who are not in south africa and know nothing about what’s happening so the only solution is for you to come down and get the best treat ever made and after 5 minutes you will be singing halleluja i am going home.

I have read all the messages above.. my only appeal is to all Zambians living in South Africa…Please please come home, sweet home were you will not be asked what an elbow is called in Nyanja. we love you and we want you back alive. And what jobs are you taking from them casua work…we have plenty of that here.

If you have no food we will give you food. We have always provided for you, why are you mixing with such a people and all for what? You come back home with 3 suits and 1 designer shoe to show off that you were in SA. Is that it.Live that country to the owners because to them crime…murder… is a way of life, it has become so normal that they don’t even feel it. How else can you decribe a people who will laugh when a fellow human being is rupped in a blanket and burning.

We’ve had our own shares of problems but we never resort to killing anyone, even when it was time to ask their boer brothers to live our country we did that peacefully.

Shocking. Only word to describe the images beaming from South Africa. We are all wondering how South Africans can have such a short memory. It is only yesterday that Zimbabweans, Mozambicans, Zambians, Angolans and other Africans were at the forefront of the ‘War On Aparthied’. Where are the ANC exiles who travelled the globe using Passports (some diplomatic) issued to them by other African Govenments, while they were fighting White Aparthied? Where are the South Africans that other Africans saccrifised so much for?

I respond to this ndumiso. I find him brutal killer, stupid and uneducated and shame for africans. To fake passport couldn’t justify killing your african brother. Try to go to school you’llfind strong argument and noone will steal your jobs as you said(you failing south africans). Instead of killing immigrants and burning shop use your energy and mind to create job. I can’t blame south african gouvernment. some said it is because south africa didn,t deal with mugabe and let many zimbabweans come in south africa. if the problems were zimbabweans or number of immigrants killers would have targeted zimbabweans only but they kill everyone. They want economy but they burnt economy(burnt shops) come on! Do you know that we are in globalization better you are educated better you have a chance for job. Don’t ask to be doctor whereas you didn’t even finish primary school. as south african you’ll be the first to be hired if you are qualified. Look at europeans who have millions of immigrants (more than 5 millions ie uk, france and so on) noone didn’t slaught immigrant with knife or kill him in brutal way. Look at US which have 39 millions of blacks no black was harmed because of he is immigrant. Advice, if you fail in your life don’t blame anyone or kill him. What’s going on with africans,why are we so jealous so much so that we can kill our brothers. Let compete for creativity rather than competing for jobs. Let dig into historical facts we could find the true problem. Do you remember that there was fighting between anc and inkhata. while some worked hard for ending appartheid others were used as scapegoat to do not allow them to do so yet they were both blacks. remember fight between ANC and Inkhata. One of them was a builder another one was destroyer but there was third hand.Isn’t the same situation now? our valuable foreigners are victims of that. You foreigners are hero and these killers are cowards.

\quote/…. take these foreigners to their lavish houses in Sandton ,Umhlanga or for that matter Seapoint…\unquote/ by Ndumiso

In civilised Kenya where I come from, we also have leafy and ‘lavish’ areas like the ones you mention above. And we do have lots of foreigners including South Africans of all hues, most of whom live in ‘lavish’ areas. We will never be jealous of these people. On the contrary, we educate ourselves and work very very hard so that we can live comfortable.

Second. My own brother who employed 8 South Africans in Cape town has had his business looted. Ndumiso, who has lost now; my brother whose business was insured or his 8 South African staff and their families who are out of a job?

Bridgette, I like the way you blame the foreigners, however yes, you are right how they have been involved in criminal activities but that is the same everywhere in the world. The people to blame are the government of South Africa, if they had proper policing in place crime would be under control and foreigners or locals would cut down on commiting crime. Throwing out the criminal foreigners does nothing, what about the local criminals? Those that have forced out the foreigners just opened up a huge share in the market. Throwing out foreigners doesn’t prove anything other than that they persons doing so have no education and don’t care about economics. As for jobs, the truth is that fellow black South Africans don’t want the lower jobs and so the foriegn workers take them. If these poor people really wanted a job they’d stop being picky and lazy. Get their foot in the door and work up the ladder, thats how everyone does it… oh sorry, I forgot how all our South African leaders got to where they are… they took it by force.

All that violent hate South African were subjected to by apartheid for more than a century cannot just fade away in the name of reconciliation. They were forced to forgive the violent boers that never had anything in them but greed and hate in its ugliest and filthy form. Believing that South African can suddenly forgive and live in peace with their boer neighbours is yet another fallacy that Africans insist on perpetuating. That hate will come out and manifest itself in that society one way or another. It is unfortunate that it is making the wrong victims. One sure thing is - the violence came from the boers and I really wished it could find the correct culprits not their poor innocent brothers. The world is far too happy and too quick to blame Africans but in 90% of the woes in Africa can still be traced back to the so called superior race.

Bridgette Khedun.

So, it is OK to loot someone’s property, rape a woman or worst of all kill an innocent man because they sound different, notwithstanding the fact that they are legally resident in South Africa, and have not committed any crime?

In which case you are nothing but an uncivilised xenophobe; you deserve to be incacerated on isolated island - with the keys thrown into the Atlantic Ocean.

what’s up?

need to talk to me klitch@webmail.co.za

M Aden , I suggest you take your own advice ! I don’t want you here ! Legal ? I doubt it - foreigners capitalise on the ignorance of our local people and import their fraudulent wizardry as a commodity - proudly . Nobody trusts us in South Africa any more because of all the fradulent activity perpetrated from these shores by our legal alien populace . I suggest also that you take a course in Oxford English before you reply to me and also if you can read English , look up the meaning of collateral damage - you know those words you foreigners are so fond of quoting so whole heartedly when you are busy robbing , deceiving, cheating or hijacking someone . Go home because you don’t have one here . This is our country .

ATT: BINA

“I find him brutal killer” Would you mind giving me the name of this qouted language coz I believe that in english there is nothing like this or maybe you meant “I find him to be a brutal killer” which is which? and also this nosense of writing word after word makes me wonder if the education you so damn obsessed about is something you ever heard of or simply expirienced, Even my kid sister who is ten years can not write this shit you writing

NOMBULELO

IT SEEMS LIKE YOU NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR COZ IF YOU DON’T KNOW I WILL TELL YOU WE WILL BEAT ALL THESE FOREIGNERS IN OUR COUNTRY

Dear Ndumiso , let the idiots write in their broken pathetic English ( give them the rope to hang themselves , so to speak ) so that they reveal to the rest of the world , ( you know those politically correct ass kissers who are willing to sacrifice us for them ) that there is a distinct difference between them them and us . THe headline caption uses the word “hate” . Hate is what happens when society festers under insidious oppression aided and abetted by the government and its insipid laws & legislation, it happens when people are reduced to beggars in their own land , when they are second bested by the very authorities that are supposed to protect them . The worm turns and soon someone in parliament will start feeling that trickle of anxiety that will fester and fulment and then his or her spin doctor will find a politically correct word as a substitute for the four lettered one :)! Once they are out we can deal with our problems . THen we will be dealing with a known quantity , a finite number . Some very clever person brought this to my notice a while ago , which answers Brad’s question . The foreigners work for reduced wages which they send home - that’s a fact . How do they then manage to continue living here without money if they don’t supplement their income with the proceeds realised from crime ? The facade of work creates a smoke screen of respectability for the criminals as they go about their plunder and fraud . Why do you think the government imposed a moratorium on the release of crime statistics ? There is much more to be seen in the big picture and certain race groups of citizens here are far from innocent as well and need to be considered in conjuction with the majority the crimes committed as they created a market to sell stolen property and trade in drugs . What is happening now is the radical surgery needed to debride the ulcers in society . With the slough removed the wounds can be clinically assessed and a treatment regime formulated . We are the guardians of the future of our homeland , this country and we owe it to the future generations to housekeep properly , sometimes sanitation procedures might be a necessary evil but unavoidable .

Being a South African and owing to the fact that I am sitting on a oil rig in Malaysia I have to rely on print and streaming media to keep up to date with what is happening in my home country, I am sad (almost in tears) to see this type of behavior. Sure everyone has had their little bit to say about the attacks and the tens of thousands that has had to leave their lives behind and flee. Everyone or most everyone has played the blame game and this is not intended to blame anyone for what is or has happened, it is just my thoughts.
When starting this off, I have one question for anyone and everyone reading this. I don’t necessarily want an answer; you can keep it to yourself. If you chose to answer, take some time and think about your answer. What is a South African? Does being black or white or any other color make you more South African than the next person?
I have had various people say that you are South African if you were born here or have reached citizen status by following the proper channels. Surely it should run much deeper than simply holding up your ID book for the world to see?
In my opinion a South African is a person with a deep set sense of pride in our country and the route it has come. I have thought on more than occasion that I want to immigrate, honestly, even more so now. Yet I still have this deep sense of loss whenever I think of me packing up and leaving South Africa.
I believe the dreams of the freedom fighters never included this type of senseless violence. They fought so we can have the freedom to build a country to be proud of, to be a shining beacon of hope and opportunity. As a nation not, as a specific color but as a nation. We are a nation of many cultures, many religions and many colors.
I dream of a South Africa where I can go to bed at night, without closing my windows, locking the burglar door and the door. Then activating the alarm and locking the burglar door in the passage.
I dream of a South Africa where I can take a walk down the street laughing and being happy with friends and family.
I dream of a South Africa where people of all races, religion, creed and heritage can live as one, work as one nation to build a country that is and will be the shining light of hope and success on this continent.
I dream of a country that I can stand proud and say to any nation in the world “I AM SOUTH AFRICAN”.
I dream of a country where I can lay down one day and release my last breath, knowing my children inherited a country that will support them, provide them with gainful employment and most of all safety.
In all of this, I have come to realize one thing, a South African cannot be classified by race, color, creed, religion or even heritage. Being South African to me simply means embracing our past and making it work for our future. Being South African to me, means doing my bit, however small, to help turn this country into that which everyone needs and desires most, a place to call HOME……

I think the person who hit the nail on the head was the first post by blackantelope. Mbeki is paying the consequences of refusing to realize that the chaos in Zimbabwe could and would eventually spill over to the rest of the region. Get rid of the Mugabe regime now !!!! And after that lets deal with the Mbekis and Zumas.

To: Bridgette Khedun and others

Please name a single country which has not experienced racism or xen in any form at some point.

If your criteria for hosting 2010 is based on racism and xen, then Germany, UK, Ireland, USA, Australia etc…should never be allowed to host any global tournament ever. In fact, we would have no global tournaments at all.

It is a pity that this has happened, but 2010 is here to stay!

The rest of the world needs to stand up and see just how wrong they were to push for the ANC to govern the country. They in 14 years have not been able to govern, but they have milked it to the fullest extent, the politicians, have all drank from the gravy boat, the country is on it’s way down like most other african countries.

I am not saying apartheid was right, but the law of the land was upheld, in a way that everyone got something.

Now you all waiting for what? The ANC to take control of what is going on, I can’t see it happening…

I am also tired of hearing that it is apartheid’s fault for the situation the country is in, you wanted what you got, blame yourselfs, for doing what you have not the old goverment, they were out 14 years ago.