By Joel Maina
I turned on my television recently only to be met with a sight that left me wondering. It was of protesters in South Africa rallying to chase African foreigners out of their country. The claim is that foreigners are reaping the rewards of their land while its own citizens are left out in the cold.
The waves of violence and hostility currently washing over South Africa have exposed a painful contradiction. A continent that once stood shoulder-to-shoulder to break the chains of colonialism is now tearing itself apart from within.
While the argument that foreign nationals are “taking over” opportunities is emotionally charged, it demands deeper scrutiny. In truth, it is a classic case of barking up the wrong tree.
Seeing Nigerian among those being humiliated makes me wonder how conveniently many have forgotten the “Big Brother” role Nigeria played in Africa and specifically in ending apartheid in South Africa.
Nigeria contributed millions of dollars, led diplomatic crusades, and spearheaded cultural boycotts to see a free South Africa. Other African nations have since driven post-apartheid development through energy partnerships, trade, and regional integration. To turn around and bite the hand that helped feed you is, quite frankly, a bitter pill to swallow.
While it is true that migrants are often models of resilience, jumping into the informal sector and navigating bureaucracy with impressive speed, labeling them as exploiters oversimplifies a complex reality.
Foreign participation is often the very shot in the arm a national economy needs. Beyond simple entrepreneurship, migrants contribute to job creation, market expansion, and the kind of social diversity that serves as the mother of innovation.
In many South African townships, foreign-owned shops are the backbone of the community, providing affordable goods and keeping local cash flowing. Skilled migrants also bring a know-how that strengthens local industries, proving that you simply cannot have robust regional trade without the free movement of people.
Therefore, the real villain here is not the foreigner; it is systemic inequality, unemployment, and the governance gaps that force brothers to fight over crumbs. History is repeating itself in the most tragic way, echoing the flare-ups of 2019 where shops were looted and lives were lost.
Xenophobia does more than hurt individuals, it cuts off the nose to spite the face. It scares away investors, disrupts trade, and tarnishes South Africa’s global image.
Most importantly, it erodes the spirit of Ubuntu the African solidarity that once defined our liberation struggles.
If we want to talk about who was here first, the facts tell a specific story. Before 1652, South Africa was home to the Khoisan and later the Bantu migrations. The Rainbow Nation as we know it is a product of colonization and labor systems that brought together people of various origins.
It is thus, incredibly ironic that some would sooner chase away their African brothers than address the structural power imbalances that remain a legacy of the actual invaders of the land.
The renowned Kenyan scholar and Patrick Lumumba often argue that Africa’s greatest weakness is its fragmentation. To fix this, we must prioritize a Pan-African identity over narrow nationalism and embrace economic integration through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area.
We must also demand good governance, as much of the frustration aimed at foreigners is actually a byproduct of leadership failures and corruption.
Blaming foreigners might offer a temporary emotional relief, but it will not fix a broken economy. If Africa is to rise, we must stop playing a zero-sum game.
As P.L.O. Lumumba rightly said, “The destiny of Africa is in the hands of Africans themselves.” Let us choose collaboration over conflict; our shared future depends on it.
Joel Maina is a 300level Strategic Communication student from University of Abuja and an Intern at IMPR/PRNigeria. He can be reached at [email protected]
