Poverty, anger intolerance - a toxic recipe

from the Independent On Line

By Louise Flanagan

The rich can emigrate but the poor can only hit out at those they see as their nearest enemies.

Commentators said on Wednesday the xenophobia-fuelled violence in Gauteng was driven by anger with the government, despair at poverty and lack of services, and a belief that immigrants were getting benefits that were due to locals.

Political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki said when the better-off were disillusioned with the government and ANC leadership, they could consider leaving the country or improving their qualifications to get better jobs.

"But if you are sitting out in the veld in Alex or Diepsloot you don't have those options. So then you have to take action yourself, and deal with whatever you consider is your immediate vulnerable enemy who is in your way."

Mbeki said the ANC elite were euphoric after winning control of the party at last year's Polokwane conference.

"But for the mass of the people it was the realisation that they are now secondary to the self-enrichment of the elite who control the ANC."

Mbeki felt the violence could continue in different forms, possibly during the run-up to next year's elections.

"What is the ANC leadership going to tell people during the election campaign? That our priority is to get rid of the Scorpions so that the Scorpions don't catch the corrupt ANC leaders? What do you think the response of the people will be to that message?"

He regarded the extreme and widespread poverty in SA as the underlying problem, accompanied by homelessness and landlessness.

The influx of immigrants, particularly from Zimbabwe, made things worse, so under the circumstances, "you are bound to get an explosion".

Lawyers for Human Rights director Jacob van Garderen said trouble had been brewing for a long time, with intolerance of immigrants, disgruntlement over poor service delivery and the "last straw" of higher food and transport costs.