we are normal..."
This is our normal-welcome note from the H!P mag team.
To join for free, click "follow" on your right and choose one of the options.
...Honouring God &
Advancing His kingdom...
H!P
Sunday, October 25, 2009
"We are normal..."
"First time visitors...
we are normal..."
This is our normal-welcome note from the H!P mag team.
Warning: This blog might just set your heart alight. You just might never be your old self again...
To join for free, click "follow" on your right and choose one of the options.
...Honouring God &
Advancing His kingdom...
H!P
we are normal..."
This is our normal-welcome note from the H!P mag team.
To join for free, click "follow" on your right and choose one of the options.
...Honouring God &
Advancing His kingdom...
H!P
EVANGELISM
You know that feeling when you wake up and it's as if God was jumping up and down on your bed to wake u?
That "this is the day that the Lord has made" feeling? And you just know it's going to be a good and productive day?
I think I kinda get what Jesus was saying when He said, I’ll be with you wherever you go, even to the very ends of the earth. For months I had been crying out, not just to God but the people around me because I'd been looking at my witness-life and realised that I didn't have one at all. Last time I’d ever tried evangelising was o-week!
Anyways, so I was just going on about how I need to hang out with someone whose witness-life is working out, so that it would hopefully rub off on me. About a month ago, at grow evening, we were talking about evangelising, and people were giving testimonies about how God had been showing up whenever they went reaching out, and I just thought, "Okay, enough crying Lord, we have to get started on this thing".
I tried with the team that did it on Thursdays by the matrix. At first there was fear, which I was hiding behind the "I wanna see a vision of a red T-shirt first". After a while though, we just decided to go for whoever and trust that God would give us the word or vision while we're busy talking to the person, and He did!
A few weeks ago, when the whole reaching out thing was starting out in my walk, we were at the matrix, and we saw these two guys, just chilling by those tables at the plasma screens. We walked up to them and just started chatting about whatever. The general idea was to make new friends with the aim of reaching them with the gospel. So we spoke and just hoped God would somehow come up in the conversation, but still being intentional about directing the conversation. Saw I asked them "what do you guys think about God?” One said he believed in Him, but still just needed some more light on His ways. The other dude was a bit shy to answer the question. It was as though it's been on his mind for some time, and he'd been trying to avoid it, and now he was cornered. He said he didn't know, so we spoke a little more about it. I then asked, "Is there anything right now stopping you from giving your life to Christ?" (That cliché never fails!!!). He said there was nothing, so I offered to lead him in praying the prayer of salvation, and he prayed it. We exchanged contacts and invited them to join the weekly lunch cell meetings. Hopefully they follow and grow in their walk.
From this, and many other similar encounters during outreach, I've learnt that people are waiting to hear the gospel. God has been preparing a lot of people's hearts to receive Him in their lives, and all that is needed is a mutual friend to introduce these two people who are both dying to meet each other (one of them literally).
Sex
(I don’t know why six but it just sounds nice)
1. Sex is not all evil and it wasn’t designed by Satan or Hugh Hefner
(Apparently according to a certain pastor I don’t wanna name, IT'S GODS PLAN)
Sex is meant to be great, meant to be enjoyed, meant to be passionate...i promise you I wasn’t getting carried away. On a serious note it was refreshing to learn that there’s a treasure to look forward to. There’s something explosive to look forward to if we are planning on getting married. I really really hope the last part didn’t come as a surprise!
2. Soul ties are hectic!
(ok, you might think that’s one of Barry Whites albums or Gladys knight but NO! )
Getting laid is more than just a physical act, our souls and spirits somehow attach and cleave to each other even after you’ve left the fresher’s bash and she pretends she doesn’t know you when she runs into you at stats!
3. Abstaining is H.O.T.T
There’s something irresistible about someone that’s not everybody’s property and even better-someone that’s god’s property. All I have to say is guard that abstinence with all the power you have girls are after you like the last pair of Prada shoes at a 97% off sale...
4. I’m not that bad-We all have stuff to deal with!
It doesn’t matter what you were/are into we are all in need of accountability and discipleship and loads and loads of grace. Whatever shape your stuff comes in you still have to deal. I’m tempted to get very silly about this point but I’ll just bounce my mind!
5. Sex is so gangster it makes me co-create with God.
It’s the closest we get to play God and not be scared of being struck with lightning! Come on guys don’t make me have to explain this one, biology class...babies come from sex-ok not really but you know what I mean.
6. It aint over...
God actually wants to restore all that has gone wrong. It’s so cool, it’s not His fault-I went and filled my own mind up with pictures and ideas but he still wants to fix it. It might not happen in a day but He will restore that which I bring to the light. And he even wants to stop me from being the chameleon I’ve been (acting one way with Christian folk and living out R-Rated hip hop videos when I’m not with them), he wants to bring my public and my private life together.
Friendships
But what about Facebook?
Don’t expect an article giving you scriptures on why Facebook is part of God’s hidden plan for the world or why it’s the hidden code for 666. In this day and age anything is possible, I mean one day our kids are going to remember Eugene Mthethwa as a political figure with a salary from the president’s office! How did he manage to beat me at this one?
I’ve had friends leave Facebook for good reasons and I’ve had friends join it for good reasons too. One thing I can say about it though is that it’s genius-it’s one of those ideas that you beat yourself up over and over for not coming up with. I mean it’s so simple (except for the parts where fun slides and all those funny pop ups come up) and yet so profound. I believe it speaks to a part of us that we as men try shy away from many times. It addresses the relationship side of things. I doubt it has gotten me many new good friends but it has brought me to a place where I question myself about the real friends I’m making...or not. Many have said it takes the place of genuine friendships as it makes us stare into a dead wide screen (wide-depending on how expensive your phone is or how dead the pc’s are in the computer lab you’re in).
I believe it all really depends on you, how much you are prepared to invest into people’s lives and how deep you build with people. It can only enhance or bring out what’s already there. It’s a good catalyst but our friendships will not survive if we don’t move past the superficial whether a dead wide screen or a dead wide look across from you at church, res, connect group or class.
Here’s a test to see if you are in a friendship with some dead wide eyed people (I’d never suggest that it could be you though. Never!)
This person shows little interest in my life.
This person is unresponsive.
I cannot trust this person to follow up on things I might request.
I am never quite sure what this person is thinking or feeling.
This person keeps most people at arm’s length.
This person’s emotions seem one-dimensional.
This person almost seems to push me away.
This person relates to me as if they have something to hide.
I can never be too sure where I stand with this person.
If you said yes to most of those questions pray and re-evaluate your friendships. I don’t believe you have to have a lot of close friendships-it’s a blessing to have even one true friend you can depend on. If there’s someone there let them know how much you appreciate them and then ask them if they would like to submit an article for HiP mag (come on we’re just starting out we need FREE articles).
Music 2000 and rewind
The year of the comeback!
After trying hard not to write this article I guess it has come to this. I’m not sure if it’s because I wasn’t sure how brutally honest I could be in this mag but I’ll try be honest without getting too many law-suit threats. 2009 was quite a... brave year in music. All the “used to be’s” were brave enough to make their great “allegedly anticipated” come-backs. I mean everyone; EVERYONE took their shot at making a comeback. I was walking through Musica (just walking, not about to buy anything might I add) and what I saw was worse than running into Robert Mugabe in Tony Blair’s back yard. I just thought there was a law against it. I saw COOLIO! Yes Mr Gangster’s Paradise, I thought his music career had gone into paradise but I guess not- he was making his allegedly anticipated come back!
I mean apart from Thembi Seete, Jay Z, TKZee (It would have gotten tricky on the name if one of them refused to get on the comeback train, I mean imagine TZee, or just Zee or KZee- the last one sounds like an Etv kids show), Whitney Houston (I’m so tempted to say something but we’ve gotten enough cracks out of her life-ITS ENOUGH!), Felicia Mabuza-Suttle (no she doesn’t have a music album. And no her show hasn’t replaced 3talk , but I saw her on the cover of some mag. That means something in the entertainment industry- I’m just not sure what ), Brandy(the boy was mine),the late Michael Jackson(I’m said to say his comeback was not to the music charts but heaven. Just be honest though, we somehow thought that he was gonna live something close to forever and some of us still wish he did), Deborah Cox, Maxwell (the guy who used to have big hair and a small voice), Eugene Mthethwa (his was a bit different though, yes I know a bit of politics) and last but not least Eminem (I ain’t gonna say nothing about Marshall. Too many words rhyme with HiP. He’ll make a whole album about us).I hope I didn’t leave your favourite come back of the year but really my point is that if music stars can brush up their red carpet shoes and hope against hope to be invited onto Oprah or Live on SABC1 (for our local stars), surely no fall is too great to get up from. I’ve learnt that there are a lot of people who will have all the reasons why you shouldn’t do something but we must give these guys the props they deserve for getting up and fighting for what they believe. I know it got a bit preachy in the end but what else can one take from seeing a CD with Coolio on the cover! In a twisted kinda way it’s... Encouraging.
CD reviews
Free Chapel-Moving Forward
There is a second album after this but I thought we should start at the beginning. Besides –personally I think it’s the better one of the two. Now they got bit of help from Israel Houghton but there’s something fresh about their sound. There’s an honesty about their music. This is Jentzen Franklin’s worship team. I don’t know if you know him but you’ll hear him on it if you buy it-no he doesn’t sing, no he doesn’t play an instrument...he-wait for it...prays! Who would have thought that someone could make a single out of a prayer, yes my people he prays! No actually he doesn’t just pray h prays AND CRIES. And somehow that is one of my favourite tracks. I still think it’s a good project though, my favourite tracks on it are “moving forward”, “we wait upon you” and their own version of Israel’s “Let the redeemed of the lord say so”
Give it a try plus it’s on sale (great for the student budget) at CUM!
HiP gives it 8 out of 10.
Maxwell-Black summer’s night
After an eight year delay the great R and B/ Neo Soul crooner drops something. I’m not too sure who did the production for him but I have a suspicion it’s a producer from the era when he last dropped an album. It’s true, music is timeless but moving with the times wouldn’t have hurt our long lost brother Max. It’s good but I’m not sure he’ll make any new fans with this one. It’s apparently part of a trilogy (please don’t ask me why). As we hope the complete picture will make it worth the wait we admit that it is a good album. And it’s clean (language). Yes that does count-hawu!
Buy at own risk! Especially because it’s not on sale at CUM books! Test drive it first.
HiP gives it 6.5 out of 10
Classic of the Month
Switchfoot- oh, gravity
This here is an investment you want to make. If you are a Rebecca Malope fan or a Mighty clouds of joy devoted follower you might wanna try it out first as it will be a slightly different sound to the above mentioned artists. Ok maybe not slightly, its rock. Let me educate you-it’s what they call indie rock (don’t ask me why). Wikipedia says they are alternative rock though (maybe it’s the same thing...mmm) they are a Christian group that sings about life, it’s not a praise and worship album (don’t ask if we sing any of their songs at church cause the answer is no). They are really cool especially when reaching out to non-Christians. Great content and a great sound. Be adventurous and try them out.
Go get it now (it’s a classic so you’re already late) I’m not sure if it’s on sale at CUM books though
HiP gives them 10 out of 10
CD of the Month
His people Joburg - One thing
It wasn’t released this month and no it’s not because I appear on the DVD (check out the first row in the first half of the DVD and later on I think I’m somewhere at the back. Look out for a white shirt with blue writing at the back). It’s a brilliant concept for a worship album. A lot of worship albums fail to reflect the culture in which they are made. It’s either they sound like an Australian band in the middle of Diepkloof Extension or it’s some Lion king sound that no one can really say which part of the mother-land it’s supposed to be. But “One thing” is different. The writers gave God a Hip Hop feel, a Kwaito touch, a reggae vibe, a rocky feel and that good old South African church groove. The kind of sound that you would find on the radio-TODAY. It’s an intimate project excellently done. These are all original songs except for one. Great sing alongs and good for devotions. Hits to look out for are “Jesus blood”,”You are my Joy (Lalala)”, “Jesu Phakeme” and “At your feet”. Just look out for the whole CD-I’ve basically named all the tracks!
It’s on sale at all His People Johannesburg churches (get the DVD special!)
HiP gives it 10 out of 10
Song Reviews
Hillsong - I will exalt You
eish, you know what? Brooke Fraser has always been one to come up with all those deep songs that just take you there :-) and in this new Hillsong album: "Faith Hope and Love", she doesn't disappoint. "I will exalt You" is declarative worship song that just reminds you where God stands as far as you should be concerned, and what your response should be to that thought. it's mellow, making it choice for most people's quite time. I just think with this song, she took worship music to another level.
rate: 8/10
Cold Play - Lost
Crowd pleaser :-) as you'd expect from Chris Martin, deep lyrics, quite philosophical, with amazing instruments that'll keep you from zoning out :-) you don't need to be much of a rock fan to love this song. I personally think the whole album is quite good. with work like this, these boys don't look like they're stopping any time soon; some may even dare to argue that Cold Play has been the band of the decade.
Rate: 8/10
interview
Childish...a t-shirt brand that is proudly Wits. One Saturday morning I met up with B.U. (aka the childish guy) marketer of Childish. Here`s what the dude had to say about the brand:
Who/what is childish?
Its a brand of t-shirts that was started by the three of us; M.Q.O aka Mr Childish X-childish and I.
Tell us about the brand childish.
There wasn’t much thought behind it, it was just something we were doing for ourselves and people liked it. The brand is basically about just being yourself, it’s not related to children per se, it’s just about expressing your personality.
Where did it all start for childish?
It started last year at all res. Like I said it was something we were doing for ourselves using spray paint and it took of from there.
Humble beginnings...from spray-paint to printing!
Yeh... but all of that started this year.
So what does childish offer?
For now we only deal with t-shirts, both long and short sleeve, but we are looking at going into shorts in the near future.
How has the response been from the people?
People like the brand. We had a stand at O-week and people took a liking to the brand.
How well is it doing?
Well we are doing quite well, demand is high. On average we sell more than 30 t-shirt.
So what are you guys studying?
X is at the education campus. M.Q.O and I are studying engineering.
Where do you guys stay?
M.Q.O and X are at knocks and I’m at E.O.H.
Thank you for meeting with us man! Any final words?
Please do go get yourselves a childish t-shirt and support us. Our Contacts will be given at the end of this article.
Contact Childish at
B.U.-076 306 6440
X- 076 576 1291
M.Q.O- 0762097315
Or join their facebook page at childishproductizzle.
Who/what is childish?
Its a brand of t-shirts that was started by the three of us; M.Q.O aka Mr Childish X-childish and I.
Tell us about the brand childish.
There wasn’t much thought behind it, it was just something we were doing for ourselves and people liked it. The brand is basically about just being yourself, it’s not related to children per se, it’s just about expressing your personality.
Where did it all start for childish?
It started last year at all res. Like I said it was something we were doing for ourselves using spray paint and it took of from there.
Humble beginnings...from spray-paint to printing!
Yeh... but all of that started this year.
So what does childish offer?
For now we only deal with t-shirts, both long and short sleeve, but we are looking at going into shorts in the near future.
How has the response been from the people?
People like the brand. We had a stand at O-week and people took a liking to the brand.
How well is it doing?
Well we are doing quite well, demand is high. On average we sell more than 30 t-shirt.
So what are you guys studying?
X is at the education campus. M.Q.O and I are studying engineering.
Where do you guys stay?
M.Q.O and X are at knocks and I’m at E.O.H.
Thank you for meeting with us man! Any final words?
Please do go get yourselves a childish t-shirt and support us. Our Contacts will be given at the end of this article.
Contact Childish at
B.U.-076 306 6440
X- 076 576 1291
M.Q.O- 0762097315
Or join their facebook page at childishproductizzle.
Xenephobia
The year of 2008 is one in which Africans and the rest of the world will never forget as a result of the violent and brutal attacks of Xenophobia. During the month of May a stir of this violence had already started in the provinces of South Africa like Gauteng and the Western Cape. During this time, foreigners were violated, beaten and rendered homeless. Business owners were stripped of their stock and money; their shops were broken into and looted. Houses were burned down and some foreigners and were left to die.
It is however on the 18th of May 2008 that the world will never forget. On the following day, the world woke up to the headline “THE MAN ON FLAMES”. This was a picture of Ernesto Alfabeto Nhamuave, a 35 year old Mozambican man who was set on fire by a mob at Ramaphosa Squatter settlement.
A study was made by John Sharp (2008) based on the May 2008 xenophobic attacks. The study showed that majority of South Africans hold negative views about black, African immigrants. The perceptions that are held by most South Africans are that immigrants are the root causes of unemployment in the country; that they cause crime and that they spread diseases such as HIV/AIDS to local citizens. These negative perceptions that are held about immigrants contribute to xenophobia in that they are dehumanizing; they remove people’s identities as human beings and minimizes them to negative generalisations.
The way in which black African immigrants are identified by most South Africans (just to name a few) is on physical appearances such as a dark skin colour, their accent and by the inability to speak the dominant local language, which is isiZulu in most urban cities such as Johannesburg. This is discriminatory in a sense that all immigrants are reduced to a negative stereotype which is then used by South Africans to mark out immigrants and to treat them in negative ways and deny them access to certain places in society such as the workplace or even the community. Therefore physical appearances are used to legitimize xenophobic attitudes.
Hatred against immigrants is racialized in a sense that black African immigrants are viewed in a negative light, whereas European or Asian immigrants are viewed in a positive light as tourists or business agents representing major multi-national corporations. This is due to the fact that from the beginning of colonialism up to the present time, white people have been seen as superior in that they are the epitome of civilisation and all that is good. This is still the perception that most African people hold with regards to white people; that white people ensure that the important domains of politics and economics run efficiently.
Some South African ethnic groups are also discriminated against, based on their language, physical appearances and geographic location. For instance: the Venda, Tsonga and Shangaan ethnic groups of the Limpopo Province are considered as foreigners by most South Africans because of their language and physical appearances such as a dark skin colour. T
he xenophobic ideas go further with regards to them because they are viewed as inferior to the other local ethnic groups.
Overall, most South Africans are xenophobic in a sense that they are hostile and intolerant towards black African immigrants and even towards their fellow citizens in the Limpopo province. It will take a while for xenophobic attitudes to change because these attitudes have been deeply ingrained in the minds of most South Africans.
Now, more than a year later, in September 2009, how far have South Africans (more especially the South African youth) moved forward from this phenomenon of Xenophobia? Recently Skhumbuzo Mhlongo, a 22 year old man, committed suicide when he was refused an ID on the grounds that the Home Affairs official did not think he was South African and used the derogatory term for foreigners to refer to him.
A few foreign students were interviewed to find out if there have been changes since the previous year’s Xenophobic attacks.
Describe a xenophobic incident you’ve experienced?
Miselo: I’ve never experienced it directly, it’s usually people alluding to us and them (them being foreigners)
Dina: It constantly happens, once I was at Woolworths and these ladies started speaking Setswana to me, I understood and answered in English and they thought I couldn’t understand so they made nasty comments
Mushiba: No, people say I look South African
Pokuaa: I’ve had people not allowing me to go into certain places because I’m a foreigner. I’ve been insulted by people, some people didn’t provide me service when I needed it and some people didn’t allow me to go onto taxis because I was a foreigner.
Christine: Basically these occur when people ask me about my reason for being in the country in a rude way, and when people speak to me in Zulu and refuse to speak in English.
Has xenophobia changed from last year?
Miselo: I don’t know, Cape Town wasn’t really affected
Dina: Some people know now not to do it in public but its still there, just behind closed doors like racism
Mushiba: The emotionally charged events brought peoples deep feelings to the forefront, those who were on the borderline are now on either extreme
Pokuaa: It is underlined now, but it’s still there. For instance: this past weekend, a university student insulted me by directing xenophobic slurs at me. So when enough pressure is applied, xenophobia will come out.
Simon: It’s a lot better now, because before there were distinction between South Africans and foreigners, but now people are willing to learn about other cultures , example other African languages. The attacks got people talking and people or more South Africans are becoming more open to other cultures and are learning the reasons why people from other African countries are coming into South Africa.
Fhumulani: I think xenophobia is better now, but people haven’t dealt with their own personal issues on how they really feel about foreigners. I wouldn’t be shocked if the attacks happen again
Who makes the most xenophobic comments?
Dina: Some people within certain black South African tribes, others are more prominent because they are vocal about it.
Mushiba: It’s most likely from a certain tribe
Pokuaa: Majority of black South Africans make xenophobic comments
Christine: It’s a mixture of all people, but more so black people.
Simon: Black South Africans are more prejudice whereas white South Africans prejudice is more hidden.
Fhumulani: I think black people have issues of self acceptance and they lack confidence in their abilities. That’s why they think white people know everything and from that they respect them. Black people have generally put white people on a pedestal.
Has learning Zulu helped in minimizing the xenophobic incidents?
Miselo: Yes, as long as you don’t mention you’re foreign
Dina: No, I can’t speak it, I just understand but it’s not only about being able to speak the language but also about the skin colour etc
Simon: when I first come to South Africa I wanted to learn Zulu but I soon realised that if you can’t speak Zulu you don’t fit in, you won’t be accommodated. This made me not want to learn Zulu anymore as now it was as if I was being forced to learn the language.
Why do you think non-African foreigners don’t get the same treatment?
Miselo: Non-African foreigners seem to enter a different class that deals with it on a smaller, more subtle scale
Dina: Apartheid taught tribes to fight against other tribes; the mindset is still there but just against Africans. Also there is the misconception that the people from outside Africa have money so they wont take jobs etc but Africans are all poor so all they want here is jobs and money
Mushiba: Its social conditioning, people are accustomed to treat white people better
Pokuaa: With regards to white people, it’s due to the mentality that the West is better. It’s a colonialism mentality that white people are superior and black people are inferior. This view is a world system that has been deeply engraved.
Christine: It’s a mind set, especially with regards to white people. People still believe that white people are superior.
Simon: It’s easier to attack the Black foreigners since the foreigners live in the same townships as the attackers so it’s easy to attack them since they live in your backyard. White foreigners mostly live in suburbs and because of the previous Apartheid regime; White people are seen as superior.
Have you been attacked/ostracized because of the way you look?
Dina: Yea, because of my features and clothes
Pokuaa: Yes I have been.
Christine: I’ve had xenophobic insults thrown at me because I’m Zimbabwean. There’s a stigma around Zimbabweans.
Simon: The way you speak, the way in which you dress and to some degree, where you come from
Do you think that students from Limpopo are discriminated against in the same manner as foreign students?
Fhumulani: Yes, I do think people from Limpopo are treated differently by other cultural groups. They think we are inferior to them
A survey was conducted to find out how most South Africans would identify a foreigner based on prevalent xenophobic perceptions
SURVEY
Based on the study that was conducted by John Sharp (2008), the interviews and the survey, black African foreigners are negatively perceived and treated by most South Africans. Xenophobia is racialized in a sense that it is directed towards black Africans foreigners in most, if not all cases.
Mark Graham- The artistic director of Generation was quoted in the City Press (6th Sep 2009) saying:
“Hate is one of the root causes of any discriminatory behaviour, be it racism, sexism, Xenophobia or homophobia”
Our freedom fighters fought for a democratic and non-discriminatory South Africa where no one, neither blacks nor whites, neither native nor foreign would be discriminated against.
LEVITICUS 19: 33-34 READS:
“33 Do not ill-treat foreigners who are living in your land.
34 Treat them as you would a fellow –Israelite, and love them as you love yourselves. Remember that you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your GOD.”
Lebo and Angie
It is however on the 18th of May 2008 that the world will never forget. On the following day, the world woke up to the headline “THE MAN ON FLAMES”. This was a picture of Ernesto Alfabeto Nhamuave, a 35 year old Mozambican man who was set on fire by a mob at Ramaphosa Squatter settlement.
A study was made by John Sharp (2008) based on the May 2008 xenophobic attacks. The study showed that majority of South Africans hold negative views about black, African immigrants. The perceptions that are held by most South Africans are that immigrants are the root causes of unemployment in the country; that they cause crime and that they spread diseases such as HIV/AIDS to local citizens. These negative perceptions that are held about immigrants contribute to xenophobia in that they are dehumanizing; they remove people’s identities as human beings and minimizes them to negative generalisations.
The way in which black African immigrants are identified by most South Africans (just to name a few) is on physical appearances such as a dark skin colour, their accent and by the inability to speak the dominant local language, which is isiZulu in most urban cities such as Johannesburg. This is discriminatory in a sense that all immigrants are reduced to a negative stereotype which is then used by South Africans to mark out immigrants and to treat them in negative ways and deny them access to certain places in society such as the workplace or even the community. Therefore physical appearances are used to legitimize xenophobic attitudes.
Hatred against immigrants is racialized in a sense that black African immigrants are viewed in a negative light, whereas European or Asian immigrants are viewed in a positive light as tourists or business agents representing major multi-national corporations. This is due to the fact that from the beginning of colonialism up to the present time, white people have been seen as superior in that they are the epitome of civilisation and all that is good. This is still the perception that most African people hold with regards to white people; that white people ensure that the important domains of politics and economics run efficiently.
Some South African ethnic groups are also discriminated against, based on their language, physical appearances and geographic location. For instance: the Venda, Tsonga and Shangaan ethnic groups of the Limpopo Province are considered as foreigners by most South Africans because of their language and physical appearances such as a dark skin colour. T
he xenophobic ideas go further with regards to them because they are viewed as inferior to the other local ethnic groups.Overall, most South Africans are xenophobic in a sense that they are hostile and intolerant towards black African immigrants and even towards their fellow citizens in the Limpopo province. It will take a while for xenophobic attitudes to change because these attitudes have been deeply ingrained in the minds of most South Africans.
Now, more than a year later, in September 2009, how far have South Africans (more especially the South African youth) moved forward from this phenomenon of Xenophobia? Recently Skhumbuzo Mhlongo, a 22 year old man, committed suicide when he was refused an ID on the grounds that the Home Affairs official did not think he was South African and used the derogatory term for foreigners to refer to him.
A few foreign students were interviewed to find out if there have been changes since the previous year’s Xenophobic attacks.
Describe a xenophobic incident you’ve experienced?
Miselo: I’ve never experienced it directly, it’s usually people alluding to us and them (them being foreigners)
Dina: It constantly happens, once I was at Woolworths and these ladies started speaking Setswana to me, I understood and answered in English and they thought I couldn’t understand so they made nasty comments
Mushiba: No, people say I look South African
Pokuaa: I’ve had people not allowing me to go into certain places because I’m a foreigner. I’ve been insulted by people, some people didn’t provide me service when I needed it and some people didn’t allow me to go onto taxis because I was a foreigner.
Christine: Basically these occur when people ask me about my reason for being in the country in a rude way, and when people speak to me in Zulu and refuse to speak in English.
Has xenophobia changed from last year?
Miselo: I don’t know, Cape Town wasn’t really affected
Dina: Some people know now not to do it in public but its still there, just behind closed doors like racism
Mushiba: The emotionally charged events brought peoples deep feelings to the forefront, those who were on the borderline are now on either extreme
Pokuaa: It is underlined now, but it’s still there. For instance: this past weekend, a university student insulted me by directing xenophobic slurs at me. So when enough pressure is applied, xenophobia will come out.
Simon: It’s a lot better now, because before there were distinction between South Africans and foreigners, but now people are willing to learn about other cultures , example other African languages. The attacks got people talking and people or more South Africans are becoming more open to other cultures and are learning the reasons why people from other African countries are coming into South Africa.
Fhumulani: I think xenophobia is better now, but people haven’t dealt with their own personal issues on how they really feel about foreigners. I wouldn’t be shocked if the attacks happen again
Who makes the most xenophobic comments?
Dina: Some people within certain black South African tribes, others are more prominent because they are vocal about it.
Mushiba: It’s most likely from a certain tribe
Pokuaa: Majority of black South Africans make xenophobic comments
Christine: It’s a mixture of all people, but more so black people.
Simon: Black South Africans are more prejudice whereas white South Africans prejudice is more hidden.
Fhumulani: I think black people have issues of self acceptance and they lack confidence in their abilities. That’s why they think white people know everything and from that they respect them. Black people have generally put white people on a pedestal.
Has learning Zulu helped in minimizing the xenophobic incidents?
Miselo: Yes, as long as you don’t mention you’re foreign
Dina: No, I can’t speak it, I just understand but it’s not only about being able to speak the language but also about the skin colour etc
Simon: when I first come to South Africa I wanted to learn Zulu but I soon realised that if you can’t speak Zulu you don’t fit in, you won’t be accommodated. This made me not want to learn Zulu anymore as now it was as if I was being forced to learn the language.
Why do you think non-African foreigners don’t get the same treatment?
Miselo: Non-African foreigners seem to enter a different class that deals with it on a smaller, more subtle scale
Dina: Apartheid taught tribes to fight against other tribes; the mindset is still there but just against Africans. Also there is the misconception that the people from outside Africa have money so they wont take jobs etc but Africans are all poor so all they want here is jobs and money
Mushiba: Its social conditioning, people are accustomed to treat white people better
Pokuaa: With regards to white people, it’s due to the mentality that the West is better. It’s a colonialism mentality that white people are superior and black people are inferior. This view is a world system that has been deeply engraved.
Christine: It’s a mind set, especially with regards to white people. People still believe that white people are superior.
Simon: It’s easier to attack the Black foreigners since the foreigners live in the same townships as the attackers so it’s easy to attack them since they live in your backyard. White foreigners mostly live in suburbs and because of the previous Apartheid regime; White people are seen as superior.
Have you been attacked/ostracized because of the way you look?
Dina: Yea, because of my features and clothes
Pokuaa: Yes I have been.
Christine: I’ve had xenophobic insults thrown at me because I’m Zimbabwean. There’s a stigma around Zimbabweans.
Simon: The way you speak, the way in which you dress and to some degree, where you come from
Do you think that students from Limpopo are discriminated against in the same manner as foreign students?
Fhumulani: Yes, I do think people from Limpopo are treated differently by other cultural groups. They think we are inferior to them
A survey was conducted to find out how most South Africans would identify a foreigner based on prevalent xenophobic perceptions
SURVEY
Based on the study that was conducted by John Sharp (2008), the interviews and the survey, black African foreigners are negatively perceived and treated by most South Africans. Xenophobia is racialized in a sense that it is directed towards black Africans foreigners in most, if not all cases.
Mark Graham- The artistic director of Generation was quoted in the City Press (6th Sep 2009) saying:
“Hate is one of the root causes of any discriminatory behaviour, be it racism, sexism, Xenophobia or homophobia”
Our freedom fighters fought for a democratic and non-discriminatory South Africa where no one, neither blacks nor whites, neither native nor foreign would be discriminated against.
LEVITICUS 19: 33-34 READS:
“33 Do not ill-treat foreigners who are living in your land.
34 Treat them as you would a fellow –Israelite, and love them as you love yourselves. Remember that you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your GOD.”
Lebo and Angie
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