How xenophobia touched our lives

Dear Jane

Xenophobia has affected us personally, and I have never felt so sad in my whole life before. In saying that, I have met such incredible people along the way. 
 
Last week our gardener from Malawi was attacked and all his belongings which he has saved for and bought since being here were taken from his home in Chesterville. Himself, his brother, sister-in-law and a little 16-month old girl slept in the bushes that night.

My mother and step-father have set up refuge for them in their back garden in Westville and we have kitted them out, but the heartache that hit me first was this little girl and mother who understand no English or Zulu, and have had all their papers stolen, and who were basically left just terrified!

I have two small children and we gave this little tot clothing, toys and food. The smile and relief from both her and her mum just broke my heart.

I then went on a mission last week to collect everything and anything I could, from my son’s class, to my baby bright stars group to book club. 

On Friday I was coming home to Westville with all my collections and arrived home to find that my sister had brought home a 23-year-old Ugandan man she met on the street in La Lucia - called Leonard*. 

A dangerous, and possibly stupid thing to do, but in our favour the most beautiful person I have met in a long time.

[When she met him] he was standing on the road and had made an A3 board with his name and what he could do - and that he was desperate for a job. 

He had printed out little flyers and was handing these out. He had come here less than a year ago. He worked as a domestic, then saved his money and bought a chip fryer and oven and set up in a corner in an Ethiopian man’s shop and was selling his fried chips and sausages. 

The shop owner’s brother was stabbed last week in town in front of them, so he locked up shop and bolted - but Leonard’s goods were still inside. The flat Leonard shared in town/Point with other foreigners was then opened up by the guard, and they were told by the guard that he was telling people where they lived so that they could come and kill them. 

Last Friday, Leonard walked to Umhlanga to put out his flyers in the hopes he could find security through a domestic live-in job. 

We couldn’t turn him away, and thank God, he turned out to be one of the gentlest and most precious people I have met. 

He stayed at my home, and we have found him a job on my friend’s parents’ farm helping out in the house (for now) in Mooi River. 

We drove him up yesterday and during the drive all he did was look out in amazement at our country and just kept praising it, his eyes full of wonder. As he said, he arrived here in the dead of night, and has seen nothing more other than our city centre.

Jane, this young man studied for 13 years. He is so smart and holds not one bit of resentment or hatred. He has come from a village of complete poverty in Uganda. He supports his 16-year-old sister and 10-year-old brother back home, slept on our streets, has been robbed, slept in a shelter and much more. All he could say was how beautiful our country is and how amazing the infrastructure is. I bought him a KZN road map, and he asked me all sorts of questions about each area, and where he was going, and was so excited that it is near the Berg. He says he learnt all about the Berg in his geography lessons at school (his classes were no less than 150 kids per class). 

Humbling does not even describe the feelings I have experienced since meeting Leonard.

On Saturday we then visited the Phoenix camp with all our collections. 

My broken heart; now just shattered, but also so in awe of the graciousness and gentle ways of these people. 

We took our kids with us, and at no point did I feel terrified for their safety. My boy played soccer with the other five year olds whilst we offloaded. I spoke to a mom with a seven-day-old baby and another who is 8.5 months pregnant. Both with nothing to their names!

I met a Zim guy that asked us if we had a jersey to give him, because he had arrived that morning with nothing, and they had run out of men’s clothes.

The need is so great, and my fear is that the hype is going to die down and they are going to not have enough. They are also in desperate need of the services of psychologists/trauma councillors and teachers, as they are trying to set up a bit of normality in this camp for the kids. 

There were parents yesterday who wanted to send their kids back to school to continue their schooling so that they would not miss out.

I found comfort in going, not just to help, but some of these women and kids; all they need is a hug, some gentleness shown towards them and a little love.

*Names have been changed 

- If you would like to get involved and donate to assist those displaced by the xenophobic violence, click here for a full list of the organisations which are coordinating collection of items and taking cash donations. 
 
- Alternatively, you can drop off items such as blankets, clothes, food and toiletries at the Baptist Church in Westville. Contact numbers: 0837923285/0744462130 

(Photo: Volunteers unpack donated food and goods at the Phoenix refugee camp)