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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
STRANGER than fiction!
These are the words that can aptly describe the pain and agonies of foreigners who have endured the horrors of xenophobic attacks targeting mainly Africans living and working in South Africa by the natives of that country.
The past two weeks have been a roller-coaster for many immigrants, both legally and illegally settled in the neighbouring country.
Most of the immigrants actively participate in building South Africa’s economy.
Though labour migration has been a world phenomenon since the beginning of time, for South Africans, it seems integration and co-existence with foreigners is alien to them.
To many African immigrants, xenophobia has become an annual ritual in South Africa, with killings, assaults and displacements at the hands of thugs and criminals becoming the order of the day.
Their offence is taking job opportunities for South Africans.
Even though official figures of the affected by the orgy of violence are yet to be announced, the Embassy of Zimbabwe in South Africa says about 171 Zimbabweans were impacted in Gauteng Province alone.
On Thursday, Zimbabwe evacuated 77 of her citizens from South Africa to spare them from further attacks.
Among those who volunteered to return home were 29 children, 25 women and 23 men and charred remains of Isaac Sithole of Chipinge, who was killed during the attacks.
Sithole was assaulted, stabbed and set ablaze on Monday midnight by a South African mob.
“I am still in shock, we were sleeping when we heard a mob singing anti-immigrants’ songs going door to door, searching for immigrants,” said Ms Nosipho Gatsheni of Bulawayo.
“They came to our house during the dead of the night and kicked doors violently. I managed to grab my 10-month old kid and ran into our landlord’s house (who is South African).
“During the process, I separated with my four-year-old daughter, who ran into the darkness. While we sought refuge, our neighbour Sithole, got out of the house and attempted to flee; unfortunately, the mob caught up with him and assaulted and stabbed him.”
Ms Gatsheni said Sithole was then set on fire while they watched in shock. His remains were only discovered in the morning. The visibly distraught Ms Gatsheni said she only established the whereabouts of her daughter the following day.
She said the toddler was now in Johannesburg, in the safe custody of her sister-in-law who also fled during the same night.
Mr Abednico Dube of Hwange, who survived on menial jobs in Gauteng Province said the scenes he witnessed in Katlegong will haunt him for some time.
He said he witnessed some people being shot and burnt alive by a mob accusing them of all manner of crimes.
“That experience was very horrible. I managed to escape and hid in a ditch near my lodgings when the violence started. But I could see from afar people being set ablaze and shot at. When the mob had dispersed, I went and sought refuge at the police station where there were already other African immigrants. On Tuesday, we were taken to Tsolo Hall, where non-governmental organisations and our consulate took care of us until we came back to Zimbabwe.”
Mr Dube said he will not advise anyone to travel to South Africa at the moment as the situation remained volatile.
Ms Similo Mlalazi, who has been a maid in South Africa for the past eight years, said she was a breadwinner for her family back home. She came back empty-handed after her property was burnt to ashes while she “watched helplessly”.
Ms Mlalazi had to be given clothes to wear on her trip back home by a well-wisher. Mr Phibion Maimbidze, who was based in the Holomisa area of Katlegong, said he was traumatised and shocked by violence meted on fellow Africans by South Africans.
“I survived by God’s grace because my South African landlady locked me in her house. She was fond of me for always settling rentals on time. The previous day, we were chased by a mob while coming from work, but I survived while those who failed to run away were assaulted and injured.”
Mr Maimbidze said the South Africans were ruthless, and called everyone a Shangani. Some of the victims said they stayed in the bush for two days with young children before seeking refuge at a police station.
The victims expressed gratitude to the Zimbabwe consulate for taking care of them at their greatest hour of need.
Beitbridge Civil Protection Committee chairperson Ms Skhangazile Mafu said upon arrival, the group was taken to the social services reception and support centre for further assistance.
“They arrived late last night and our hope is to get everyone to their homes by the end of the day (yesterday). We are saddened by the loss of life and injury to people and loss of properties. We are providing them with transport to their respective homes, food hampers, food allowances, transport allowances and medication for those who are ill. At the moment we are doing registration and profiling, after which they will be dispatched to their respective homes at the shortest possible time.”
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter