I am ashamed. I never thought I would ever be ashamed to be South African again. I was a proud member of the "Rainbow Nation". I held my head high and let everyone who would listen know where I came from. And now I am ashamed.
It wasn't so long ago that our current political elite sought, and were given, refuge in numerous countries around the world, including African countries, like Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia, whose poor, desolate and oppressed, now seek refuge in our country. Our countrymen were not only welcomed by these countries, but were cared for and supported. They were generously labeled "exiles" and were free and encouraged to pursue their political agenda targeted at the apartheid regime of their homeland. They returned to South Africa strong, organized and confident and assumed their positions of leadership. And therein lies one aspect of the problem.
They somehow felt entitled to their positions, power, influence and accompanying newfound wealth and have neglected to advance the causes of those who had such high hopes for them. Initial euphoric expectation gave way to patient hope, then hopelessness and disillusionment, and finally the murderous desperation we currently witness as the apartheid poor now become the post-apartheid poorer.
Unable, or unwilling, to directly attack their previously exiled heroes, the xenophobic mob have laid the blame for their distress round the necks of an even more desperate population of refugees. Government leaders are obviously appalled and embarrassed by these actions, given the completely opposite refugee experiences they had in their host countries and the negative international reaction and news coverage this latest outbreak of xenophobia has engendered, but the question lingers: will they engineer any improvement in the lot of their fellow citizens so that there are no repeats of these barbaric actions in the future?
Seeing so many ordinary South Africans being outraged at these misdirected attacks gives me hope, but I am preparing for my shame to linger.
Dion Marc Delport
28 May 2008