With some groups predicting violence on the back of the call for illegal immigrants to leave South Africa, I find myself reflecting on a moment from our past that feels eerily familiar.
In 1994, just before our first democratic election, certain voices in our society predicted that black South Africans would riot, loot and seize properties the moment apartheid ended. Some quietly stockpiled food and essentials, bracing for what they feared would be chaos and retribution.
Yet the black majority - together with all South Africans of goodwill - chose a different path. We pursued a negotiated settlement through CODESA. We built the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We chose justice with mercy rather than vengeance. The world witnessed not an explosion of savagery, but one of the most remarkable peaceful transitions in modern history.
Today, I hear echoes of that same pessimistic script: predictions that black South Africans will inevitably turn violent against illegal immigrants.
But why do we so readily make this giant leap in abstraction?
The organisers of the planned marches have repeatedly emphasised their commitment to peaceful action. More importantly, the overwhelming majority of South Africans - especially black South Africans who endured the full weight of apartheid - have consistently chosen peace, negotiation and nation building over retribution. We are not a radical people. We love this country. We are resilient, welcoming, and deeply invested in its future.
Genuine concerns about illegal immigration are real: the pressures it places on jobs, housing, healthcare and safety in communities already under strain. These challenges deserve honest, effective responses rooted in the rule of law and our constitutional values - not scapegoating or fear mongering.
What they do not deserve is to be used as proof that black South Africans are inherently savage or prone to barbarism. That narrative reveals far more about the assumptions still held by some than it does about who we truly are.
What will it take for us to finally see one another clearly - beyond stereotypes, beyond fear, beyond the easy stories we tell ourselves about each other?
It starts with recognising our shared humanity, our shared love for this land, and our shared responsibility to build a South Africa that works for all who call it home.
We are stronger together. ๐ฟ๐ฆ
#ProudlySA #StrongerTogether #Ubuntu
@CityPowerJhb@kiaraN59916431 What does 82% has been restored mean when at the same time an ETR of 6pm tomorrow is provided . Which areas have been restored ? Please be clear .
Afriforum never had any interest in leaving the colony. They just wanted the US to force the Blacks to do what they (Afriforum) want. So they lied. A lot.
They didnโt think Trump and Musk would go full retard, and now theyโve been saddled with this ridiculous โsolutionโ.
@CityPowerJhb what do I have to do to get some service from City Power? I logged a call on the 23rd still no response let alone the ticket being allocated