By Derick Matsengarwodzi EISH, xenophobia attacks, not again! My memory darts back to 2008 when I arrived in Johannesburg with...
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By Derick Matsengarwodzi
EISH, xenophobia attacks, not again! My
memory darts back to 2008 when I arrived in Johannesburg with bloated anticipation.
The epicenter of attacks,
KwaZulu-Natal was my former residence. I preserve lasting collections. Like before,
I ask what is wrong with Africa. Why do we hate each other with zeal? My pursuit
was partially answered when I lived in rural KZN for a year. I wanted to survive; I had limited options; even after witnessing my
fellow countrymen being butchered previously.
The journey
I arrived in Champagne Valley in
October of 2008. Suddenly, I was alone at the heart of Zulu speakers. What
transpired shocks me until this day. Because I was an imbiber, I struck instant
connections with the locals. Though, I struggled with my isiZulu, I persevered;
a survival route. It impressed my hosts.
We soon embarked on endless drinking escapades.
One peculiar practice was their push
to share the bottle. This was alien in my motherland. Naturally, I had to
agree. The reason for this exercise was to exhibit trust, and automatically
become one of them. From then, I never disputed it. It became a natural. Secondly,
I noted that respect for culture and cultural icons were prerequisite.
The only person who sought to fuel
hatred was my employer. She suddenly refused to grant me an increase as per our
agreement.She always excited a divide method between me and the locals because
I insisted that she fulfills her earlier pledge. She even proclaimed that she
was helping Zimbabweans.
Before, my arrival; she had faced
problems with the locals concerning contracts. In other words, I was a pawn in
a game that had commenced before my arrival. She thought by roping me, she
could bypass the law and win her quest to silence her employees. I was not
prepared to be part of that scheme. If I had succeeded, what was going to be my
price? Probably, I would have paid with my dear life.
Meeting the
emperor
In 2012, I wrote a piece entitled:
‘Long name blues’ for the Witness newspaper in Pietermaritzburg. This was
culminated by the harassment I endured from people who identified me as
foreign. My complexion did not make matters any less. After that, I became a regular
contributor for the publication. I even journeyed into rural areas as a health
writer for government-controlled magazine.
One of my detours was St Benedict’s
hospital in Nongoma, the capital of chief Goodwill Zwelithini. The cultural
icon is revered. He has a budget reserved for him and his queens. Debate has
been raging on how his family eats into the provincial coffers. Why? Goodwill Zwelithinika Bhekuzulu was born 14 July, 1948 at Nongoma.
He is the
reigning King of
the Zulu nation
under the Traditional Leadership clause of South Africa's republican constitution. He is the chairman of the Ingonyama
Trust, a corporate entity that administers Zulu land. As the
custodian of Zulu traditions and customs, King Zwelithini has revived cultural
functions such as the Umhlanga, the reed dance
ceremony which promotes moral awareness and AIDS education among
Zulu women, and the Ukweshwama, the first fruits ceremony, a traditional function
including the killing of a bull.
In June, 1994, the University of Zululand conferred an honorary doctorate in agriculture
upon the King, among other awards. The King spoke at The Synagogue Church Of
All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2004 regarding the importance of
trade and peace.
Now this is contrary to his recent utterances which have ignited
the recent xenophobic attacks. So, with such influence who can resist the
king’s orders? – Tinzwei.
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