Fighting Xenophobia and Discrimination in our Schools

From the 31st March to the 1st of April the

Learner Representative Forum hosted a workshop that aimed to deal with the issues of xenophobia and discrimination, for high school learners in the Lekoa / Vaal area. The workshop was attended by 60 learners and youth activists and was held at Zone 7 community library in Sebokeng.

We invited learners from an albino association and immigrants from the Southern African Region to talk to us about their experiences of discrimination on a daily basis. They had a lot of interesting things to say. For example, Sipho from the albino association explained that: “usually people like to do nasty things when they see a person like me. Some will cover their noses or sit on the ground. Many people don’t shake hands with us. Some of the kids are afraid of us and call us makgowa (i.e. white people). The poor kids don’t say things that hurt us like that because they are bad, they are told by their parents. People have to know that we are the same. We are only different because of the colour of our skin, which is only an accident of birth. We laugh, date and play soccer just like everyone”. One of the learners did asked Sipho a question: what should be done so that we don’t hurt you? In response Sipho said “don’t give us the special attention – good or bad. We want to be treated like everyone”.

A lot of questions were asked of and discussed with Sipho and his friends from the albino association. The thinking of people in the workshop began to change as more myths about albinos were discussed. Including that albinos don’t die, or that they go to a mountain where they disappear, and that albinos get albino children. None of these things are true, explained Sipho.

Then we were lucky to have Watson, a Zimbabwean young person, talk to us about his experiences of xenophobia in South Africa. Watson told his story: “I live in the city, Jozi. Like other immigrants, I am victimised on a daily basis mostly by police and some South Africans living in the city. Police come and go as they wish in our houses, and say all the bad things that they want to say. If some thing goes wrong in the city, we are the first suspects. They police come to our apartments and take what they want. Sometimes they have raids and arrest us at 2:00am or 3:00am and then just release us in the day. My request is: we are all the sons and daughters of Africa. Treat us like as you want us treat you. I don’t want to hear that we are bringing diseases, stealing your jobs and wives! We are here because of the struggles and terrible conditions in our countries and to find a better life for ourselves”.

I am amazed that when you are a foreigner and white you are called an investor or a tourist. But when you are black you called a kwere kwere and are unwanted. South Africans, we need to show compassion and understanding to all peoples whether they are different from us, like albinos, or they come from other countries, like Zimbabweans.

*David Lukhele is a member of the of the Anti-Privatisation Forum and of a drama group in Lekoa / Vaal, Small

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