South Africa’s politician and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters,Julius Malema, stormed Ghana and said things he should not have said.
Heinvited Ghanaians to visit South Africa, for studies, work and tourism, andlied that South Africa is not a xenophobic country. Hesaid, “South Africans are not xenophobic, South Africans are peace-loving people.”
In June 2019, during the height of xenophobic attacks on Black African migrants by Black South Africans, Julius Malema made this statement: “Stop Xenophobia! There is no foreigner that took your jobs. If you fail in business, do not blame other people,”
But today, he is saying South Africans are not xenophobic. Does he think we are simpletons in Ghana?
In May 2008, during one of the worse xenophobic violence in South Africa, sixty-two Black African migrants were killed, with hundreds injured and at least 100,000 displaced.
In the September 28, 2023 edition of Human Rights Watch, South African, Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka, reported, that xenophobia was rearing its ugly head in South Africa and foreigners were scapegoated for the country’s problems.
An anti-immigrantvigilante group, called Operation Dudula Movement (ODM), founded in Soweto in 2021, growing fast, with branches all across South Africa, was calling for the mass deportation of Black African migrants and blocking immigrants from accessing healthcare; raiding businesses belonging to foreign nationals and forcing their shops to close.
Members use derogatory words on migrants and sing struggle songs signifying readiness to go to war against the foreigners, with one of them, heard saying, “To tell you the truth, I hate foreigners. How I wish they could just pack and go and leave our country.” Dudula is the isiZulu word for “to push out,” denoting pushing foreigners out of South Africa and back to their countries of origin.
Is this the country, Julius Malema is inviting Ghanaians to?
Xenophobia against Black African migrants by South African Blacks began during the apartheid era. Butgotworsened and more deadly, after the Blacks took over power.
And Julius Malema is saying nothing like this ever took place? Was henot the one who condemned his own President Ramaphosa, whose speech incited the Black South African youth to embark on the 2019 xenophobic attacks on Black African migrants?
Pew research has it that 62% of Black South Africans believe that Black African migrants have taken over their jobs and must be made to leave their country. Julius Malema cannot come here and show us disrespect.
Julius Malema slammed Ghana’s leadership for supporting Israel, declaring that anyone supporting Israel is an enemy to South Africans. And so what? Black South Africans have transformed South Africa from an apartheid to a xenophobic state, which attacks and kills other Black Africans. So, If Israel is accused of genocide, then what about South Africa?
The Hamas Palestinians provoked Israel into this war, by committing genocide against innocent Israelis on October 7, 2023. Ghana and a few nations, condemned the act. South Africa did not see anything wrong with that because given the opportunity, it would have done worse than Hamas. Now that the tables have turned, they dragged Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
I have a problem, here. How can South Africa which is xenophobic accuse another country of genocide?
During the apartheid era, South Africa and Israel who then occupied Egypt land, were in strong relationships. Today while South Africa regards Israel as enemies and is accusing it of genocide and headed to the ICJ, its hands are dripping with innocent blood of Black African migrants. Yes, “Whenever a thief is pursued, other thieves join in the pursuit.”
Julius Malema is saying, “Shame on the Leadership of Ghana for supporting Israel.” And I will say, “Shame on Julius Malema and shame on South Africa.”Julius Malema, without shame, camehere and lied to us that South Africa is not xenophobic, when this barbaric act is rising to dizzy heights, there. And the authorities are very helpless and cannot do anything about it. Shame On Julius Malema!
With most South African youths opting for xenophobia, what canSouth Africa political parties, including EFF, tell the youth in this Election Year?
But why did South Africa go to the ICJ? Reports reaching me from Israel, strongly alleged that the current South Africa’s president was given a gargantuan envelope to take Israel to court and use the money to support his campaign. Then Julius Malema comes to Ghana to condemn our leadership for supporting Israel. Did he also receive something?
For himto suggest that the global community should honour the desires of the Palestinians, when Black South Africans are not honouring the desires of Black African migrants, shows he is not sincere.
If those who support Israel are enemies of South Africa, then why is Malema not demanding that South Africa breaks links with those countries? South Africa was an enemy of Free Africa, in the apartheid days and still is today, in its state of xenophobia.
Black South Africans could not deal with the Whites who molested and tortured them during the apartheid regime, but after gaining freedom, largely due to the contributions of other Black African nations, they have rather turned against Black African migrants, hunting them down and killing them. Julius Malema must address this and stop disturbing our peace with his lies and selfish political desires.
By Hon. Daniel Dugan
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
