The xenophobia ghost may have been buried in some parts of the country after ravaging a number of areas, but many foreigners lost their property and and their lives

The mere mention of the word foreigner was a death penalty to some. Locals developed hatred for all from outside the country, saying they were here to steal people´s jobs. The wave of xenophobia rarely spilled over to the rural areas but was confined to the towns and cities. Unfortunately, the ghost of this devilish bevahiour has been resuscitated.

Mozambican communities living in the Malamulele area had to flee their homes when a marauding mob told them in no uncertain terms to go back to their homeland or face the consenquences. To show how serious they were, the group went on the rampage, demolishing houses belonging to the Mozambicans.

“Go back to Mozambique!" These words were followed by ghastly acts and 25 families at Boltman C settlement are still reeling from acts of vandalism that saw their houses damaged amid xenophobia. The families, who have been in South Africa for years, have suffered thousands of rands in damage and say they have nowhere to go.

Says Armando Sithole who had been staying in the area since 2006 after being given the site by the Madonsi tribal authority: “I lost a lot when they destroyed my house with picks and spades.” He and his five children are now in limbo. "They seem to have had a meeting and resolved that we must move,” said Sithole.

“When they came, they did not have the decency to talk to us but just destroyed the house. Everything inside it was damaged, including a TV set, the solar system, the children´s school books and other items,” said Sithole, who added that he had not imagined that people could behave so inhumanly. He said he was unemployed and made his money decently by making bricks for people for a living.

At the home of the neighbouring family of Isaac Shivambu, they destroyed all the window panes of the two-roomed house. The family of Daniel Madzivi, who stays with his wife and four children, was also hit hard. “Everything that was inside the house was damaged,” he said.

Madzivi said he was surprised by the sudden turn of events in the village. "We have been living in peace in this area, but just see what is happening now; we are treated like thugs," he said. He had been staying in the area for a long time and there has been relative peace in the village. "We treated each other like brothers with our neighbours. There is no foreigner and local here. We are all one, but we just feel there is an outside force which is trying to sow the seeds of discontent," he said.

He said he failed to understand the actions of the group. "When these people were in exile in our country, we treated them the best possible way, but now they are treating us the opposite way," he said.

Local Sanco chairperson Rayson Mhlongo said the incident was cause for concern. He said the actions by locals were not acceptable in the new South Africa. He added that Mozambicans were of the same roots as the locals and he found it surprising that there were still people in the community who regarded them as foreigners

“The head of disaster relief at Thulamela, Mr Mukhacani Chavalala, brought tents, but the tents were later sent back to the municipality because Mr Chavalala is from Xitlhelani and feared for his own safety,” said Mhlongo. He said he could not understand why people could be so cruel to others.

Traditional leaders Patrick Mavambe and Elvis Madonsi both claim the area, and the people occupied the area with the permission of chief Madonsi.

Police spokesman Brig Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed the incident and said ten people had been arrested and released on warning. He has sent a strong warning to the community and said the police would not tolerate people taking the law into their own hands. "Whatever issues people have, they should learn to raise them in a dignified manner,” said Mulaudzi.