I am flabbergasted by the way some South Africans treat fellow Africans.

The brutality displayed by these ignorant people gives the international community the right to say that black South Africans have a very short memory or no memory at all.

We can all recall how during the apartheid era black South Africans sought refuge in neighbouring countries to escape the harsh conditions under which blacks had to live.

Apartheid was dismantled since 1994 and South Africa has managed to deal with its major problems, while its sister African countries on the other hand were bombarded with conflicts, political instability and economic collapse.

Citizens of countries such as Zimbabwe, which is at present plagued by political and economic crises, are being subjected to violations of human rights and forced to seek refuge in South Africa.

To their surprise, hooligans in South Africa launched brutal xenophobic attacks on them.

Now who do we as responsible South Africans blame for the violence inflicted on foreigners? Do we blame it on a lack of information about our history or on having a short memory or no memory at all?

A Setswana saying says, O seke wa nyela sediba. (When you cross the river don't foul it because you might have to drink from it again).

Oshupeng Maseng, Mafikeng