When our people have genuine concerns about their plight, they should dig deep why and find ways to air/vent those concerns, without inferring that foreigners are the source of these concerns. Apartheid and the “rooi gevaar” (“red danger” propaganda in reference to the communists in South Africa) was based on the same warped principle. We tend to forget very quickly, we do not engage in debates anymore and, recently, tend to have less intellectual curiosity of where we come from. If you call a political meeting, few, if at all any, attend; but let there be a half-naked girl gyrating on stage and alcohol flowing, the venue is filled to capacity. Migration is an ancient phenomenon that we cannot reverse and for whatever reasons people will move from one place to another for better opportunities. What sickens me is that it is our own "ilk", fellow Africans, that is bearing this senseless violence and in that madness, South Africans are also victimised. 13 or so years ago, in a taxi to Soshanguve, me (a Muvenda) and my then future wife (a Muvenda with strong Sesotho background) were conversing in Tshivenda and a passenger, with the driver and other passengers joining in, made disparaging comments about us being "makwerekwere" and that we came here to take South African jobs and do other unprintable things. I was accompanying my fiancée to the then Technikon Northern Transvaal. I responded in Sepedi, mixing with Setswana and my wife backed me up in her deep Sesotho, until the driver and those irate passengers apologised. We were so incensed by such shallow thinking and stereotypes. Who knows, what if one of them suggested to "deal" with us? Fortunately it did not happen. For the recent spate of violence against foreigners, I say, the law must take its course and all who care to listen must continue in their quest to care for each other. How many times do we learn of our own people protecting criminals within their families? Yes, some immigrants are not to any good, but generalising and reacting the way people have done in Gauteng and other provinces, is simply not right.

I feel sad and ashamed about all this. I just returned from Dakar, Senegal last Friday and, my… oh my, I made so many friends. From taxi drivers to market women. My basic French was my passport to more friendship

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Thivhilaeli Makatu

As a West African living in Joburg for about 4yrs, I have developed great respect for South Africans in general. Thivhilaeli is representative of the kind of South Africans I know. Twenty years ago, while studying in the United States I shared an apartment with a South African and since that time I have had only kind feelings towards South Africans never knowing that I would one day end up here. Living here, I have encountered my own share of resentment from a few working class black South Africans, but I am sensible enough not to forget that a greater number of South Africans have treated me fairly.

Nothwithstanding such experiences however, I now believe that the political leadership that I used to also admire, have now failed the country dramatically. The responsibility for this violence we are witnessing lies squarely on the shoulders of the political leadership. It is even possible that some of them are instigating it. There are now only two solutions to this problem. First, the authorities must use overwhelming force to stop the killing, so that it doesn't lead to xenophobic and inter-ethnic genocide. Secondly encamp the refugees and enforce strict border control, as is done all over world. Any one with just a bit of common sense should know that if you put so many migrants or refugees in a city they will either take the jobs of locals or turn to crime. Most of them will have no other options.

If the leaders don't act quickly, the rest of the African continent might start thinking of isolating South Africa again. The cities of South Africa cannot be the killing fields of other Africans. This has never happenned in the entire history of Africa. People have been chased back to their countries, yes, but not this kind of wanton killing that the authorities themselves don't seem to be able to stop.

I full y agree that the political leaders are the ones to be blamed. I wonder what Mr Mbeki really thinks about all this...

I urge all those South African Xenophobia's that they should pull this thing to end. Especially that one holding that machete on the photo above. He should never put foot in Zimbabwe, because he'll return to South Africa in powder coz we'd have cremated him already. We have so many South Africans here attending expensive schools and some of them in highly paying jobs, but we don't fight against them. But if you want to start a fight against the Zimbabwean people then we are prepared. We are trying to have a peaceful country here.

The SA government allows this to happen by being apathetic to the political & violent unrest in both S Africa and its neighbours. It's about time it woke up otherwise it may become another Zim.

Well to me what is happening is bad as Iam a South African,yes, however some of the things need to be put into pespective here, we cannot be fighting each other because of the ill policies from our own government. everyone knows that Africa is known for its bad policies and the type of politics of pleasing the masses for Soth Africa especially. Yes ther is a problem and this thing has been a problem ever since you will remember that in most of the tv shows on current affairs have done their surveys from the beggining about this issue and most people were against it from the beginning. If I can remember the Etheopians experience this thing a long time ago which could have been the sign for most people that this was eventually going to happen.