well mr editor may you allow me to comment on these xenophobic thing. Well im a zimbabwean but not in south africa. My fellow countrymen went that side trying to run from the ZANUPHOBIA in Zimbabwe but now they have fallen into the XENOPHOBIA trap. Its like they have jumped from the frying pan onto the fire. Help them by stopping these attacks as u know that back home Mugabe's militia is beating people down there.

Do not use the term"Political"this is just a cover for"Tribal"

Xenophobia: what does this word mean? It means chauvinism, racial intolerance, racism, dislike of foreigners.

The antonym (opposite meaning) is “TOLERANCE”. I would say that the acts of South African citizens have displayed more xenophobia than loving tolerance, despite the strenuous denials of the political leadership. Yes, they are criminal acts, but they are XENOPHOBIC criminal acts against BLACK African foreigners in South Africa.

I am certainly not one to brand an entire country xenophobic, but when enough of its citizens gather to pillage, maim and even rape and kill and the vast majority and the entire security apparatus of the government is unable to stop it and protect innocents, then South Africa and South Africans need to ask themselves long hard questions.

South Africans: your people, your leaders, brothers, sisters, freedom fighters, they stayed in our countries as asylum seekers, they were clothed and fed, treated for wounds, given medicines, given guns and political backing. Your neighbours, the same ones you are beating now for visiting your country – they also had the apartheid regime bomb, beat and maltreat them – because in your time of need they stood with you. We paid special taxes and contributions that were given to your leaders to help fight for your freedom. Without our sheltering them, Umkhontho we Sizwe would not have survived and achieved the success they did. Without we your African brothers and sisters adding our voices and efforts to yours, you would still be labouring under the yoke of apartheid today.

South Africans: today we are in need; we have come to you – our parents, brothers, sisters in our time of need. And you have beaten, maimed, raped and killed us, instead of giving us succour. Why?

Call a spade a spade: there are attacks on African foreigners by South African citizens. The PEOPLE and Government of South Africa need to respond to this and protect Black African Foreigners in South Africa. "EVIL FLOURISHES WHERE GOOD MEN (AND WOMEN) DO NOTHING".

equanamity@gmail.com

I'd like to comment on behalf of all the South Africans who are as upset as I am about these attacks.

People seem so quick to judge, to brand us all. What they need to realise is that not all of us are involved in these killings!

It is our friends, our neighbours, our loved ones who are now been hunted down! Please consider this before labeling us as an entire 'xenophobic' country. Imagine for a moment hearing about the attacks and not knowing if your collegue is going to be at work the next day.

This problem as I see is at it's base political.

With a ridiculous unemployment rates and ever rising food and oil prices the South African people are angry. Angry at being jobless and sick and tired of going hungry. They have finally found someone to blame, the wrong people yes, but someone all the same.

These people really and truly believe that foreigners are taking their jobs. I'm NOT saying it's right. I'm just asking you to look at it from their perspective.

I blame the government. For this all stems from the failure of our leaders to recognise an huge problem. This kind of thing does not happen over night and must have been bubbling under the surface for quite some time.

Our country, my country is in crisis. I just ask that people try imagine how we feel about it.