Athol Fugard is a foremost South African playwright. His works critiqued life under white minority rule in 20th-century South Africa, exposing the ills of the apartheid system that dehumanised black South Africans. Recent events have been a reminder of his works, one of which is a play titled Sizwe Bansi is Dead.
The play is about Sizwe Bansi, who has gone to Port Elizabeth in search of work. He was introduced to Buntu by a friend called Zola. Buntu was expected to find him a job but failed due to an apartheid law requiring work permits for blacks. Unable to secure a permit, Sizwe was expected to leave the city. Buntu then decided to take him out for a drink as consolation.
After a drinking frenzy, Buntu found a dead man in an alley with an ID booklet; he suggested Sizwe use the permit to find work. Sizwe rejected the idea, believing it to be dangerous. For Sizwe, taking the identity meant becoming the dead man, as the name ‘Sizwe Bansi’ will cease to exist while the dead man, who we came to know as Robert Zwelinzima, will return to living. In the end, Sizwe agreed to burn his ID and adopted the new name.
He went to take his picture for the new booklet at Stiles Photo Studio. There, he wrote a letter notifying his wife of his death, hoping to remarry as Robert Zwelinzima. The play exposed the problems of identity, politics and subjugation under the apartheid system.
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Apartheid was an institutionalised racism that benefited the white minority, causing hardship for the black majority. The effects were both physical and psychological, as seen in Robert Zwelinzima’s death, because even death is not an escape. And the illusion of Sizwe being given life by a dead man. The fear and hate that drove the apartheid system are prevalent in the sociopolitical and economic issues in South Africa today.
The remnant of the institutional bias evolved into institutional-backed xenophobia. Chidinma Adetshina’s experience is evidence of this. According to the authorities, Chidinma’s mother allegedly stole the identity of a woman to secure citizenship for her daughter. The allegation led to xenophobia from institutions and individuals, forcing the young lady to withdraw from Miss South Africa 2024. Although the authorities declared that the now-beauty queen is innocent, it did not stop the attacks. She may be the newest victim, but xenophobia is on the rise in S.A.
In 2017, over 60 people lost their lives in violent attacks. Seven years later, the authorities are still failing to find solutions. South Africans have also become victims, as seen with the death of famous reggae artist, Lucky Dube. His killers, in an attempt to garner sympathy, confessed while claiming they mistook him for a Nigerian. As if to say murder is less severe if the victim is a Nigerian.
Reports have often cited different reasons for xenophobia. One of which is an endemic drug problem. According to the International Journal of Drug Policy, drug use among South Africans has increased, a problem the natives blamed on immigrants. Although the government came up with the National Drug Master Plan of 2017–2024, the problem persists.
Another commonly cited flashpoint is the economy. The S.A. economy is struggling due to an energy crisis and an industrial-scale mismanagement that took place over the years. Several government officials, including the former president Jacob Zuma, are on trial for corruption.
Entangled with the slowing economy is immigration. Immigration is now a major issue, even in Europe and America. Natives the world over blame immigrants for economic problems. Immigration now has a major influence on electoral choices in many countries.
Fear or hate will not solve economic problems. Poverty, relative deprivation, and frustration with government cannot validate xenophobia. Leadership and hard work will provide solutions. Immigration adds to economic growth via material contributions. Like Sizwe, immigrants take jobs that natives avoid due to familial ties hindering mobility.
According to Tyler Cowen, immigrants boost productivity by providing affordable labor. He rejects the term ‘cheap labour,’ declaring that it misleads economic policies in the age of globalisation. In addition, the work of American economist Marjolaine Gauthier-Loiselle showed immigrants support innovation because they introduce new ways of solving problems.
Immigration has expanded the GDP of countries like Germany, France, and the United States. This is not to suggest that immigration does not present challenges; however, trade remains the backbone of international relations, and the benefits of cross-cultural integration only expand trade and cooperation.
One of such areas where cooperation has occurred is in the music industry. Nigerian and South African artists have flourished, creating opportunities for the industry. Afrobeat and Amanpiano have become a global tune and a platform for development cooperation. Therefore, it is clear that Nigerians and other Africans are no threat to the culture and traditions of native South Africans.
The experiences and lessons from apartheid, as captured in the works of poets like Oswald Mtshali and playwrights like Athol Fugard, should inspire South Africans to emulate Nelson Mandela’s rainbow nation. S.A. must avoid the double standard that bedevils multilateralism today. Where actions in Ukraine, Palestine, or Myanmar, among others, cannot be condemned with one voice, rather criticisms are motivated by geopolitical alliances.
S.A.’s pursuit of peace and justice is evident in its support for the Palestinians at the international courts. Hence, it cannot let fear and hate take root in its homeland. SA cannot allow economic challenges to distract it from the role that destiny has presented to its people. Indeed, it is not easy to bear the burden of leadership; however, it is necessary. The people of South Africa have conquered hate before, and they will do it again.
Shehu writes from Abuja
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