by Jorojina Elisha, August 2025
In this world we live in, we are faced with a lot of suffering and trouble. Day by day, we
encounter something unbearable. It could be getting an F on a math test, breaking up with
your girlfriend, or losing your job. But what if your pain and suffering were constant—every
day, every hour, every minute, every second? This pain would kill you inside and leave your
body empty, without a soul. A life without purpose.
I am talking about racism. We define racism as a preconceived idea of an individual based
on their ethnicity or racial background. Most people generalize racism based on the color of
skin, but I believe there are different flavors of racism.
That is why my artwork will be exploring and showcasing a prevalent flavor of racism:
xenophobia.
Stopping Xenophobia!
Xenophobia is a significant issue in South Africa. As much as we try to run away from this, it
still exists here. Day In and day out, we hear news of a foreigner being harassed or
murdered somewhere in South Africa. The murders and torment have long been ignored.
Nobody bothers to identify these perpetrators, as they themselves fear the same fate as
those who fell victim. Victims live in turmoil every day, dreading the face of the oppressor,
destroying self-worth, and diminishing growth.
Victims change the way they talk, dress, and eat, abandoning their identity just to fit in with
the rest, shielding themselves from negative comments. They live in discomfort and
discontent due to their own DNA, their own identity.
The most painful thing Is to be seen or labeled as an outcast. As we all know, xenophobia is
not talked about; it is often swept to the wayside and deemed as nothing of concern. Yet
old and new foreign faces find themselves plagued by the shadow of the oppressor’s wing.
My Mission
I would love to fight against xenophobia by illustrating my artwork to showcase the mental
and physical strain these people live under in everyday South Africa. Most of these
individuals have fled their countries seeking refuge in a ‘peaceful’ South Africa.
Unfortunately, not all locals are welcoming. I want to change how people perceive
xenophobia. It is no game; it is a very real conflict.
Working together and bringing our understandings together to build a peaceful South
Africa, where no individual is looked down upon because of their roots, is my goal. This
country, South Africa, is known as the ‘Rainbow Nation’ because of its diverse cultures and
peoples. I would love to radiate that with My Anti-Xenophobia Manifesto.