South African Economic Policy And Attacks On Foreigners, White Farmers Mar Freedom Day Celebration
Yesterday, South Africans celebrated Freedom Day. The purpose of the celebration was to mark the first democratic elections in the country when Nelson Mandela was elected president. Although the comments about the celebration were largely positive, particularly on Twitter, some of the comments leading up to and on the holiday highlighted the recent violence against immigrants in South Africa. Many of the comments called for the attacks to end against foreigners.
South Africa: Xenophobia Mars Freedom Day Celebrations: Parts of President Jacob Zuma’s speech was met with cr… http://t.co/9CuanShkTK
— South Africa Links (@dlSouthAfrican) April 29, 2015
Might as well cancel Freedom Day 27 April #SouthAfrica #StopXenophobia pic.twitter.com/OeDRTIw3Pd
— IG: bubblyblessing (@iTweetLocco) April 16, 2015
@PresidencyZA after these human rights violations, could we as South Africa stand bold as brass celebrating Freedom Day on 27 April 2015? — Ludo Gideon (@LudoGideon) April 19, 2015
On the 27th South Africa “celebrates” Freedom day… Dear black brother killing another black brother, are you really free? #No2Xenophobia — Pimped Out Boyz Ent. (@PimpedOutBoyz) April 21, 2015
Although the attacks were labeled xenophobic, three of the seven who were murdered, according to Politics Web, were actually South African citizens and included a 14-year-old boy who was shot. Sadly, nothing was said about the attacks against white South African farmers. Since 1994, after the election of Nelson Mandela, over 3,000 white farmers have been murdered on their farms.
#SouthAfrica in wake of #xenophobia, #hatecrime attacks against #whites are forgotten: http://t.co/XoNzibZbaM
— AdrianaStuijt (@AdrianaStuijt) April 27, 2015
According to Dr. Gregory Stanton, who opposed apartheid, South Africa now sits at six on a scale of eight for white genocide. Recent murders of immigrants, which included the three South Africans, hasn’t helped to enhance the reputation of the country as a freedom-loving nation open to all South Africans. In addition to over 3,000 murdered white South African farmers, there are about 50 murders committed per day. Police no longer track incidences of violent crime by race, reports Genocide Watch.
On a fact-finding mission to South Africa, Dr. Stanton determined that the South African government is complicit in the murder of white South Africans and has plotted to eradicate them from South Africa. Dr. Stanton wrote the following in his report.
“There is thus strong circumstantial evidence of government support for the campaign of forced displacement and atrocities against white farmers and their families. There is direct evidence of [South African] government incitement to genocide.”
South Africa is also plagued by its economic policies. Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) was designed to increase the number of blacks in South Africa participating in the economy and raise their standard of living by providing them with new opportunities. So far what has happened is that blacks are still largely poor, whites struggle to find jobs as they suffer discrimination in the marketplace, and South African business is being hurt by not being allowed to hire qualified applicants based on merit, according to the Mail & Guardian.
So far, the South African government passed 188 laws under BEE to give blacks preference over whites, and for most white South Africans, it is nearly impossible to get a job. The downside of the policy is that it has led to a shortage of skilled workers, and like apartheid, South Africans are still being judged by their race.
[Photo Credit Telegraph UK]