adminWHEN xenophobia attacks erupted in South Africa in 2008, people were shocked at the callousness of the violence meted out on foreigners based in that country.
The whole world watched in horror as Mozambican national Ernesto Alphabeto Nhamwuave was burnt alive during the barbaric acts that have claimed close to 200 lives since 2008.
While the barbaric attacks on foreigners left the world stunned, this was a reminder of the tough life a group of miners who once worked in South Africa in the 70s, as they too were victims of such attacks.
The miners, who were recruited to work in mines, located west of Johannesburg, say they faced a similar predicament in South Africa and had to “fight” to survive.
Three of the former Wenela miners who spoke to Sunday News said it was not really shocking that xenophobia had taken place but they had not expected it to occur in the circumstances it did.
Wenela is a common acronym for Witwatersrand Native Labour Association, which was set up as a recruiting agency for migrant workers by the gold mines in South Africa in the 1960s to 1970s and had offices spread across countries in Southern Africa.
In Bulawayo, the workers were recruited from the ministry of labour’s offices located at corner Basch Street and Third Avenue Extension, where they would be driven to offices in Belmont for further screening including health inspection and lessons on mining before those selected were flown to the mines and assumed employment.
Miners from Zimbabwe worked at Venterspost Gold Mine, which has since been closed, which was located in a small town called Westonaria, west of Johannesburg.
Mr Wilson Masuku, who worked in South Africa between 1975 and 1979, said South Africans had a penchant for violence, as they wanted to gain dominion over foreigners.
“They wanted us to submit to them just like they were submitting to white people but we would have none of it. My first taste of violence happened just two weeks after arriving at the mine and we numbered about 60 Zimbabweans in 1975.
“The South Africans had gained dominion over other nationalities such as Mozambicans and Angolans hence they also wanted to put us ‘in line’ and one Saturday evening, as we were from the canteen we were alerted of a plan to attack us by some Sothos and although the skirmishes began when we were close to our quarters, there were about four who were yet to arrive and they all perished in the attack,” he said.
Mr Masuku said they had been warned of the violent attacks on foreigners and bought Okapi knives soon after arriving in Joburg. He added that they were advised to light wood fired stoves and open the bottom half of their Dutch doors while locking the top half and when an attacker tried to get in they pulled him inside the room with his feet and threw him onto the burning stove while beating him at the same time.
“It was mainly the Xhosas and Pondos who attacked us but we managed to fight back and the skirmishes were only quelled by soldiers through the use of teargas but by then between 15 to 20 South Africans had been killed while we only lost the four who had not managed to get into our quarters when the attacks started. No one was arrested for the violence, which to me was a sign of encouraging fighting among Africans by the whites.
“The following morning we demanded to be sent back home immediately but the mine authorities flatly refused saying we should fork out the 37 rand airplane fare but no one had money at the time hence we stayed.
“A month later 200 workers from then Rhodesia arrived and this fortified our numbers although sporadic attacks took place although none were as intense as the first incident because they were now afraid to confront us,” he said.
Mr Masuku (65) said they ended up creating alliances with other foreigners in a bid to repel aggression by the South Africans, something that allowed them to settle for long in the mines.
Another ex-Wenela miner, Mr Nyamanzi Dube, said there was a general trend to attack the foreigners with the Pondos taking the lead.
Mr Dube, who worked in the mines for two years (1976-77), said they had to live in fear of being attacked but ganging up together and moving in groups ensured no one would fall victim to the attacks.
“AmaPondo used to wrap blankets around themselves and underneath carry weapons such as axes, spears and knobkerries.
“They seemed to have a disdain of foreigners but I thought this had ended during the 70s, but it was not much of a surprise to me when I heard about the xenophobic attacks,” he said.
Mr Dube told the story of a Zimbabwean who had managed to smuggle a gun into the mine and was one day forced to use to repel his assailants.He said some foreigners fled the area and settled in Joburg because of the violence which was by then confined to the mines.
Mr Lungelwe Mkhwananzi initially said there was a general trend in violence in the mines that was indiscriminate and not directed at any group of people but on recollection, remembered that South Africans never meted violence on each other.
He also singled out amaPondo, also refered to as amaMpondo, as being the main instigators and perpetrators of violence during the time.
“They seemed to relish violence and I would say they acted like a primitive lot. They were heavily built with huge bodies hence they fancied themselves more powerful but as Zimbabweans we were able to stem their tide of violence and they ended up respecting us because we stood up to them and defeated them in battles,” said Mr Mkhwananzi (59), who worked in the mines between 1976 and 1979.
Sidumisile Mabena