While Zimbabweans, driven south by a decade of political violence and economic recession in their homeland, bear the brunt of attacks, smaller South African ethnic groups are also being targeted.

Some shanty-town residents see Zimbabwean immigrants, numbering about 3 million, and other Africans in the country as rivals for jobs and housing.

Bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, tiling and, in some cases, even the plumbing was being done by foreigners. Not because these people will work for less money but because they’re trained, skilled, eager and able to do the work. South African workers are not. Or at least not enough of them are skilled in these trades.

Ironically, those workers who are capable and trained – such as the Mozambicans and Zimbabweans – are gratefully accepting all the work they can get. They’re employed because they are skilled and they can do the work. Unlike those louts and lay-abouts causing the trouble!

Those louts that say foreigners are ’stealing their jobs’ aren’t able to do the job. They’re not prepared to get a qualification. Or to accept a job as an apprentice either. So you tell me, who’s stealing their jobs? They can’t and won’t do the job.

For these louts, it seem, the answer is to go out and beat-up a skilled worker. What kind of cock-eyed reasoning is that?

1. Emergency report SMS number

Anyone who knows of a xenophobic attack can send an SMS to 31864.

Should you wish to donate some money towards the relief effort, please SMS your name (ie. Tom Smith) to 38871.   SMS’s cost R10/sms and at least R6 will go to the Treatment Action Campain bank account to buy food, blankets and other supplies for the refugees.