Poem by Esther Nyambi

South Africans let us remind you that during apartheid

All your neighbouring countries welcomed you with open arms

Harboured you, fed you, educated you, gave you jobs and comfort

We helped you defeat apartheid

When you attained your independence

We flooded in to South Africa to help our brothers in need

The post apartheid era left a vacuum that needed to be filled

So brothers came from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Somalia and Mozambique

With strong arms we helped you to lift and sustain your economy

We brought our skills and started businesses

To give you time to learn and grow

We hoped you would learn and emulate

So you may learn and go

Instead you thank us with hatred and violence

Is this what Tata Mandela taught us?

He taught us forgiveness and reconciliation

Is this what Thabo Mbeki taught use?

He taught us about African renaissance

Bishop Tutu too taught us truth and reconciliation

As we stand here today, we say we forgive you South Africa

For burning our shops and killing our children

We forgive you

For looting and maiming

We forgive you

We implore you today South Africa

Stop the attach on fellow brothers South Africa

Stop this xenophobia South Africa

Stop this Afrophobia South Africa