Friday, March 29, 2024

xenophobia

Share

They say once beaten twice shy. This is a proverb I should have paid attention to when Big Jo came to visit me a month ago. I should have listened to my instincts to run away from him the moment he entered my house and pat me on the back like we were old buddies.He apologized profusely for the incident that happened when we were last together, that lead to me losing my passport and dignity.

To make it up to me he said he would buy me an airticket to Dubai. He said he had a contract to buy medical equipment and needed my help as I am smart with numbers. Of course this boosted my ego and after he showed me pictures of Dubai I was even more eager to give Big Jo a second chance.After all it wasn’t his fault I got mugged in Johannesburg last time.
“But ba Kamba,” I said, “this time lets not stay in Hilbrow.”
“No problem mwana we will stay in Alexandra.”
I heaved a sigh of relief. I felt sure this was a much better suburb. Maybe it was a white surburb.I had heard that the whites in South Africa lived in beautiful suburbs.

Big Jo wasn’t messing around this time and soon won my trust. This time round we flew to Johannesburg on Zambian Airways.It was my first flight. I must have been fumbling with the seat belt because a beautiful lady came to help me put it on.Her scent was so lovely and I hoped she didn’t hear my heart pounding against my chest as she leaned close to me. Air hostesses are even more beautiful than I ever imagined.
Anyway after 2 hours we arrived in Johannesburg and booked a cab to Alexandra. I was so glad we were not using those dangerous minibuses. I was however horrified when after an hour we drove into a shanty compound.
My mouth gaped and I felt terribly scared.
Big Jo sensed my horror.
“Mwaice we are just spending a night with Nyika, my Zimbabwean friend. We won’t even have to pay anything here,” he said.
But is it safe I asked?

“Iwe mwaice, ninshi kanshi.You are too picky like a woman.You said no Hilbrow.Besides Nyika has lived here for 5 years,” he said.
We soon arrived at Nyikas three roomed house. I really wondered why Big Jo chose such humble accommodations when he had money to buy 2 airickets.
Nyika was a friendly man and I soon relaxed. In the evening after supper Nyika suggested we go visit a friend in the next street.I safely put my passport and money at the bottom of my bag.If I got mugged at least I wouldn’t be robbed of my passport. We had barely left the house when we saw a huge mob wielding pangas, machetes and sticks. At first I thought it was some weird Zulu dance till we saw them descend on a house not too far from where we stood.I heard a terible long shrill scream.At this point I didn’t need a sixth sense to know that mob was going to descend on us too. Big Jo and I instinctively ran in the opposite direction. Nyika seemed intent on finding out what was going on. Ofcourse by this time many people were out of their houses wondering what the commotion was about.I had never felt so scared in my life. I didn’t even know where we were running as we tried to figure out a way out of the maze of streets.A man who was also running stopped us and told us we were running in the wrong direction.My legs felt weak at the thought of running into that murderous mob. Out of breathe Big Jo asked what was going on.
“They are killing foreigners, now quick lets ran to the police station,”the man panted.
As we ran the group of people running grew.Some had bloodied faces,some were crying hysterically.
What had I gotten myself into? Why did I trust Big Jo. I looked around for Big Jo but in the commotion we had gotten separated.Why were these people killing foreigners? Have they so quickly forgotten that we allowed them exile in our countries during aparthied?
When we arrived at the small police station we were loaded in trucks and taken to a church about 30minutes drive.There I saw Big Jo. He was visibly shaken.
“They’ve killed Nyika,”he sobbed ” He was trying to reason with them but they paid no attention to him and burned him in his house.”
I felt such rage,such fear such hatred. I was so angry my stomach hurt. Whats wrong with these people? No if I feel this way I’m no better than them. Vengeance is mine said the Lord.

Once again I’m in South Africa without my passport and money. What do I even say to that cocky woman at the embassy?

EDITOR’s NOTE:  Post Your Lifestyle stories through the  Contact Us Link Above. The best stories will get published in the Lifestyle section of the site.

42 COMMENTS

  1. You should never go to SA again!it’s not a good place to go to!I shall never go to SA personally again.not even my wife!

  2. While studying at unza, I remember someone said that if you fail the same course exam at UNZA twice, then you are considered as UNTRAINABLE.

    Please, learn to trust only yourself instead of any other person moving/travelling with you.

    Take care next time, otherwise it might be like UNZA EXCLUDE on failing the same course exam.

  3. Where are you reporting your case from since you claim you are shying away from the Zambian High Commission now?

  4. Natural disasters in China – Earthquake and Burma – Flooding. In Africa its Man made disasters. Zimbabwe, South Africa. When are we going to learn ? Electing silly leaders.

  5. Un-intended consequences of Mbeki’s purposeful action of failing to call a spade a spade with Mugabe and Zimbambweans cowardice to face BOB at home but run abroad. If those 5million refugee zimbos in RSA and Bots were inside Mugabe would have yielded. Africa Twaasebana. This xenophobia, triggered by the zim crisis will lead one thing to another. Red light lights flashing on WORLD CUP 2010. More refuge pressure on Zambia and Botswana. Declining investor confidence in SADC region due to the unfolding political, economic and social mayhem that is spilling into neighbouring countries.

  6. These killings/Mayhem/xenophobia/dictators/ election thefts in Southern Africa Makes me wonder how Gaddafi’s and Mbita Chitala’s United States of Africa would “function”. Ooops Sorry I meant dysfunction.

  7. GRZ should learn from what is happening in RSA, cause this may cause other nations to act in retaliation. Send young energetic personnel in foreign service, who will be able to conduct assessments on the ground and prepare mitigation plans for protecting Zambians in times of crisis. DO AWAY WITH DIPLOMATS OPERATING FROM CORNER OFFICES WITH A NICE VIEW AND ISSUING STATEMENTS WITHOUT STEPPING OUT TO KNOW THE REAL SITUATION. Beureaucratic management is a thing of the past. Foreign service is designed for selfless people willing to serve their own. After all thats the whole purpose of GRZ paying them the numerous allowances.

  8. Cont’d
    Security and Risk mgt plans must be standardised for all foreign missions and must be made easily available for all Zambians abroad and tailored to specific country situations. Basic steps on what to do in an event of a crisis(man made or natural disasters), say for instance through informative websites can assist to save many lives.

  9. Don’t mind big jo’s story,he seems to be a gooooood story teller.Any way i like your humour, you burst my lungs out.the first one was equally good. Take it easy buddie and for the bloggers enjoy big jo’s second episode.goodnite.

  10. Embassy/high commission social forums should also be encouraged to include all Zambians in a particular country. The community forums like the US ones seen here are not inclusive. For instance what happens to those that do not join/register with their communities?

  11. South Africans should not think that they will never need us again. Zimbabweans, after helping them at a great sacrifice, looked down upon us. Now they are in trouble again and they are back.

  12. The xenophobia in SA will soon turn tribal (remember the Inkhata days?). Problems have began for South Africans. Prepare to receive them.

  13. black people no nothing but violence and distruction…….africa will never rise. theirs something wrong with the genes…………am also black by the way and feel sorry for my race.

  14. Even whites do that. Infact any race you can think of. What about Zidane in the 2006 World Cup? Is he black?

  15. Imwe Bakamba muli bakafwaka. You do not listen.
    Put your money to good use instead of wasting with Your Big Jo.

    Come back home and never go to South Africa.

  16. I think they should start scrutinising some of the writings on this site. Those off the mark should be selected and deleted. Too much irrelevat! Whats the essence of #18

  17. South Africans are teaching the whole lot of us that we MUST take care of our nationals first and then on foreigners later. The fact is that the foreigners in S. Africa do perform excellent tasks that most S. African citizens would not do for whole lot less money. As a result, unemployment among S. Africans has tripled. Their subsequent move to evicting foreigners violently is a result of their government’s inability to deal with most cases of illegal entry and taking over of jobs.

    Zambians must understand that they are their own saviours. A GRZ that places citizens as an option is not a great one when the citizens are faced by massive poverty levels.

  18. i know this is going to sound a bit harsh and feel free to disagree, south africans are not as sophisticated as other africans. i lived there for 8 years, i observed them. they are very bush, ‘ghetto’ if you like.

    they have suffered so much in the past, the poor ones are still very bitter and for them its a very rough and tough life. i think they have violence in their blood because of apartheid (yes, no, maybe?)

    so what im saying that its the riff raff that is perpetrating the madness. the ANC government promised those fu*kers all sorts in 1994 after apartheid, none of it has been delivered. they are angry.

    just giving you background info, i think the hooligans are in the wrong

  19. Good point #22. The chaps, no matter how much you educate them still return to their thug lifestyle. They celebrate it, hail it even.

  20. Can FIFA pliz take away the world cup b4 these spoilers have the whole continent condemned.
    These *****s r disgusting

  21. they are disgusting, also they are not welcoming other nations. how can they host the world cup with an attitude like that? the whole world is supposed to gather in south africa, but the people don’t want forigners in their land. its incompatible, they are backwards and unsophisticated and i am embarrassed for them. shame.

  22. Am very sure those PANGAs and MACHETES being used by “No Crisis In Zim” Mbeki’s thugs to butcher thier fellow Africans have that famous label “”MADE IN CHINA””. Globalisation!!!

  23. We need to campaign against SA hosting the world cup. Besides whatever is happening in SA HAS ANC blessing….what with their popular GIVE ME MY MACHINE GUN SONGS. What goes around COMES around.

  24. Yes the madness in South Africa is organised and to a certain extent has the blessings of the powers that be. WHY THE SILENCE? IS IT ANOTHER NO CRISIS THING? What a crap. FIFA SHOULD RETHINK 2010 WORLD CUP VENUE.

  25. the so called great king shaka had no kids (no genes therefore)and left no real legacy. what a great king. his kingdom didnt last a generation. it was succeeded by sucssevily week puppet kings. i think they sometimes forget this. the zulu tribe was nothing b4 shaka and nothing after.

  26. I like your stories. They are quite a good work of fiction. Keep it up and it is always good to read them. When is the next story?

    You could actually do a novel with these literary works!!!

  27. Come back 2 yo lovely nation..y all the time kwabene. ta mulanaka ukupula…The world is taf konse..

  28. i think want has happened in south africa has been sad….i live in south africa,i have been here for over 8 years. This violence in happeing in the locations(compounds). i did voluntaire to offer my assistance to the displayed refugees through our church. this violence was instigated by a non educationed individuals who have no jobs or lives,but to label south afrcia as a place not to visit or live is looking at one side of the stroy. At lot of south africans have come together to help interms of contibutions,jobs,food,clothes.so many south africans are so embrassed out the whole “xenophobis attacks”.I hink south is the place to be.

  29. You guys should travel. The way these guys behave here is just the same as you. Ukushipula: Because you just know Zambia and the corruption that goes with it and never look outside, you think that, thats the best the world can offer??. At least some of the places here are not rotting in corruption!

  30. WHY ARE ALL YO’ COMMENTS SO SO EMPTY DO YOU COME ONLINE B4 DAWN OR WHAT PL’SE THINK B4 SAYING A THING. HELLO ZAMBIA

  31. I think it’s really pathetic that South Africans are behaving in such a manner! they have forgetten how much we fought ith them in the sruggle! Kaunda did a lot for these fools and yet they have forgetten!It difficult living in RSA as a black foreigner! God will truly fight for us in this matter and we will see justice!

  32. its saddning to see what is goin on SA. i thought black africans could one day unit and fight our common enemy,poverty. but we decide to turn to our neighbuors’ throats when we fail. xenophobia is not jst in SA, it is strong here is zambia, look at the way we treat our brothers from congo, angola, rwanda, burundi etc.
    africa needs some soul searching.

  33. … are you talking for yourself on how you treat your bros from congo etc.. My little sister and a dozen other lusaka girls has been infected with HIV by a congolese who manipulated & doublecrossed them now the guy has run off to TZ, what do you suggest we do with such people give them a medal? But blacks killing blacks becuz of toilet jobs is pathetic! Good lord next life i’ll come as a musungu

  34. i@ champion
    Am sorry that your sister has to undergo such trauma.
    SA xenophobia killings are as a result of the government failing to safeguard the local people’s interests. The foreignrs have taken advantage of this and created thmselves opportunities, making the locals blame them for their failures. the situation is the same here in zambia. The govt failure to safeguard the country’s wealth( land, mines, contracts, etc..) to the indigenous people in favour of white zimbabweans or the chinesse is creating a feeling of harter for all foreigners.
    About the congolese chap, there is nothing we can do now, lets instead teach our girls to stop opening their legs to whoever comes by.

  35. @ champion
    Am sorry that your sister has to undergo such trauma.
    SA xenophobia killings are as a result of the government failing to safeguard the local people’s interests. The foreignrs have taken advantage of this and created thmselves opportunities, making the locals blame them for their failures. the situation is the same here in zambia. The govt failure to safeguard the country’s wealth( land, mines, contracts, etc..) to the indigenous people in favour of white zimbabweans or the chinesse is creating a feeling of harter for all foreigners.
    About the congolese chap, there is nothing we can do now, lets instead teach our girls to stop opening their legs to whoever comes by.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading