In May , xenophobic attacks swept through South Africa leaving 62 people dead and 21 of whom were South African citizens. Elitsha spoke to foreign nationals in Port Elizabeth Central to ask whether they feel safe or not. Africa Day is celebrated every 25 May to highlight the importance of unity and brotherhood among people from the continent and in the diaspora.
Various government departments in South Africa do not miss the opportunity to bring together people of diverse cultures to preach peace and unity among Africans. Xenophobia continues to rear its ugly head with the latest media reports about a threatening letter that was sent to foreign owners of shops in KwaMashu, Inanda and Ntuzuma in KwaZulu-Natal. Many immigrants feel happy to honour the day in style while showcasing their cultures and traditions with their South African counterparts.
They say this gesture of friendship and humility inevitably assists in eradicating xenophobic sentiments. Foreigners who live in Port Elizabeth Central said they live in perpetual fear of being attacked by local South Africans. They attributed this to a long-held notion that drug peddling, human trafficking and prostitution are all carried out in the area by foreign nationals. The concerned foreigners singled out the municipality which they say subtly promotes xenophobia by denying foreign street hawkers operating licenses while issuing these readily to South Africans.
I was never attacked but the feeling and the sight of what was happening in other provinces were too much for me and my family. Many foreigners left their township lodgings and joined the queue to live in town where security was deemed safe. We are being constantly harassed everyday by the locals who accuse us of selling drugs and engaging in prostitution. They also accuse us of bribing the police.
Muchada lives in a one-bedroomed flat with her husband and three children. The children all attend school in Korsten. She sells fruits and vegetables from an undesignated site on Govan Mbeki road. Her husband works as a cashier at a seaside restaurant in Port Elizabeth. Olewese, a Nigerian citizen, said he has been living in Port Elizabeth for twenty-one years.
