Xenophobia among Batswana must go now :: Mmegi Online

Xenophobia is the unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers. It is most ironic when it comes to xenophobia in African countries where on the one hand there is a love for anything American or British, or French or German especially a visa but also material consumer culture (the food, cars, clothes, movie stars, slang, music and so on)but a hatred towards anyone who happens to be American or British or French or German in their own countries.

I was reminded of this several months ago when a young Motswana professional male now in a major institution leadership role much younger than I who had just come back from a lengthy trip to America angrily told me to leave his office when I differed with him about something while at the same time almost yelling, “you are new here.” At the same time he loves everything American which is why per chance he overspent his time in MY country.

It made no difference to him that in yelling at me and ordering me out of his office that he was breaking a sacred Tswana norm regarding respecting your elders. Instead all he saw is that I was a foreigner and a black one at that which certainly exemplified his xenophobic behaviour much more than if I had white skin and blonde or sandy hair and of course the blue eyes. Of course, he would have calmed down and even smiled if I told him I would sponsor his next trip to the States so his wife or/and girlfriend and he could go on another spending spree with their American Express card(s).

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