Derrick Masangu
Allow me to start with a biblical verse from Genesis 4:9 that states: “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother, Abel?’ ‘I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’ he replied!
Due to the civil unrest currently going on in the world – and specifically the conflict in Ukraine, we have seen many Namibians jumping on the bandwagon to denounce and show solidarity with the people of Ukraine, under the hashtag “We stand with the people of Ukraine”, which I’m not against, because suffering is just suffering, regardless of who the victim is.
We have seen the same trend during the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement in the USA, which has recently gained momentum across the world – and almost became a household name in Namibia.
What saddens me the most is the fact that I’m yet to see a prominent Namibian leader or our so-called scholars and human rights activists who have stood up to denounce the current vigilantism and xenophobic attacks in neighbouring South Africa, orchestrated by the so-called “Operation Dudula Movement”.
Spearheaded by lazy thugs and hooligans, who blame their current economic status on foreign nationals, regardless of whether they are in the country legally. This has become a witch-hunt, directed at our fellow Zimbabwean brothers and sisters, who are trying to make ends meet in the diaspora. Well, I hate to say it, but this is hypocrisy of the highest level.
We have been here calling on governments around the world to denounce the conflict in Ukraine – and some even criticised our government’s absence from the vote on the Ukrainian issue during the United Nations sitting.
The same scholars who would see the value in denouncing the war elsewhere are oblivious to the suffering of fellow African brothers and sisters next door. Yes, I understand the magnitude of the geopolitical consequences that have been caused by the Ukrainian conflict in the whole world, but can we please clean our house first?
So, have we now chosen economics over ethics and humanity? Are those the values we wish to cultivate in our children? Of course not!
I guess our people don’t follow up on African issues anymore because we are so occupied with the Western media and issues to the point that we would rather identify ourselves with ‘them’ – not us.
“Never mind the story in Diepsloot; it is just another undocumented makwerekwere who got murdered”, so they say”.
Shame on you. Please excuse my language. What hurts the most is that this is not the first time Zimbabwean nationals have faced this human culling, but it has now become a yearly trend the whole SADC watches. To set the record straight, I am not a racist nor am I for fake solidarity, but I believe in true equality (that I try to be). I still have hope in humanity though, so don’t misinterpret or misrepresent my views as racism or prejudice. I’m a full advocate for equality and justice.
All I ask for is consistency in how we handle and respond to geopolitical issues. Why does an innocent woman have to die next door, just
because they are of a certain nationality, without
us saying a word about it, but we would rather stick our noses in issues that are far away?
How easily and quickly we forget the sacrifices that people do for us, and specifically what Zimbabwe and other true Pan-Africanised countries have done for our different liberation movements to continue thriving in Southern Africa.
Despite the threats and pressure, they got in at a time when it was not fashionable to do so. How soon do South Africans forget how ZIPRA forces helped to coordinate the MK forces’ movements through Southern Africa?
How soon we forget how Zimbabwe stood in solidarity with Namibia to gain the freedom we enjoy today!
Zimbabweans didn’t have to support any African country after fighting their own bloody and long ‘Bush war!
They did it out of true patriotism in the spirit of Pan-Africanism. Are we saying naming a few Namibian streets after Mugabe is the only honour we can extend to them?
I heard a lot of disappointing responses from the youth whenever they are reminded of this bitter truth to swallow. Some say “Zimbabweans were not forced to help us”.
I agree with them, but I say Zimbabweans supported us because, as true Africans, they felt obligated to extend a helping hand and show solidarity, even though it was not conducive to do so at the time. Even though they had a lot to lose, they decided to stick with the values in many of our liberation movements that were built on and believed in at the time. Look at us now, being ungrateful and calling them different kinds of degrading names and terms we can not even use on the people who colonised us.
It is hypocritical for us to just stand by and watch as a single mother is “necklaced” and burnt to ashes in front of her children – all in the name of curbing illegal migrants and rescuing the local job market! All for what? Selling tomatoes and pepper on a sidewalk. We need to do better.
In the same vein that the biblical John 8:7 verse states, “Let he who has never sinned cast the first stone”, I also ask, may he who has not feasted from the ‘breadbasket of Southern Africa’(Zimbabwe) during their economic peak and heydays stand up and say it publicly.
I guess none of the SADC countries can say that! If you don’t know this, go back and study history. Now, what could be the solution? The issue of Zimbabwe is quite deeper – as first of all, it is a political issue that will need the whole of SADC and AU to intervene.
The solution might seem complicated, but something needs to be done.
We need to work towards building tolerance and acceptance among us, as Africans. Having Article 6 enshrined in the General Declaration and Treaty of SADC of 1992, which warns member states against discrimination without implementation, is near the vanity.
We need to push our leaders so they can be vocal on this issue on the levels of governance, where they will publicly denounce and show solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe.
Our leaders should also advocate for the respect for the rule of law, where people who break the law are treated as criminals within the competent established organs and systems of the state without attaching a nationality narrative to them.
SADC and the South African government, in particular, should, in the strongest terms, condemn vigilantism. In conclusion and above all, the main question that needs to be addressed by SADC is, how do we all help Zimbabwe regain its former glory in both the political and economic spheres, as these are the root causes of the problems?
This intervention will effectively help in reducing the influx of the so-called illegal immigrants to other countries because I believe most of these people have not migrated by choice, but out of necessity!
Let us be on the right side of history because one day the same question that was asked to Abel will be asked to us! Where is your brother, Namibia? The time to act is now.