Fused

Faith Nketsi recently tweeted that a Malawian gardener who worked for her mother stole their belongings. According to Nketsi, they embraced the Malawian family as if they were their own.

This event sparked a Twitter discussion. Some individuals questioned whether or not we should assign a nationality to crimes, while others suggested that we should rather recruit South Africans. 

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa gave his address at the Union buildings on Heritage Day. And despite the fact that he was not reacting to Nketsi’s post, he reminded South Africans of the term Ubuntu. According to Ramaphosa, Ubuntu is part of South Africa’s tradition and should be extended to people from other African nations.

Xenophobia inconsistent with our values – Ramaphosa during Heritage Day address – News24

Ubuntu is part of South Africa’s tradition, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, and should be extended to people from other African nations.

In response to xenophobic attacks and a narrative about foreign nationals promoted by certain political leaders, Ramaphosa preached a message of ubuntu on Heritage Day. 

Faith Nketsi accuses gardener of theft: ‘Treated them like our own’ – The South African

The South African reports that Faith Nketsi aimed at an ex-employee she accused of stealing from her mother’s residence days after announcing that burglars had stolen two of her Chanel purses.

She alleged on Twitter that a former Malawian gardener had broken into her home and then fled. Faith Nketsi intended to relate her story of being scammed, but instead sparked xenophobic sentiments among her followers.

5 xenophobic myths about immigrants in South Africa debunked by researchers – The Conversation 

Anthony Kaziboni writes for The Conversation that more than 900 violent xenophobic attacks have been documented in South Africa since 1994, resulting in at least 630 deaths, the relocation of 123,700 individuals, and the looting of around 4,850 establishments. 

The outbreak of xenophobic violence challenges societal stability and cohesiveness, tolerance, the South African constitution, and the social fabric upon which the nation’s democracy is built.

Image credit: Flickr 

The latest crime report by Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) reveals that crime is an “existential” threat to South Africa, as shown by the rise in murder, extortion, and kidnapping.

Organised crime is driving up murder and kidnapping rates in South Africa – Business Tech 

According to the GI-TOC report, the murder rate has increased by 38% since 2010, the number of kidnappings has quadrupled, and infrastructure crime such as the theft of copper-power lines has an annual effect of R187 billion ($10.6 billion). 

Murder, Kidnapping Pose ‘Existential’ Threat to South Africa – Bloomberg

Antony Sguazzin says that the history of apartheid in South Africa is to blame for the rise in crime in “formerly non-White regions ignored by the state.” During former President Jacob Zuma’s nine-year administration, governmental institutions became weaker, which worsens the problem. It is alleged that R500 billion was stolen under Zuma’s government which could have been used to build disadvantaged communities. 

South Africa’s organised crime climbs to Italy’s levels, racing past Mexico, Somalia and Libya – Daily Maverick 

Ferial Haffajee argues that the report is a call to action. If South Africa’s future is not to become more unstable, there is an immediate need for a more planned approach against organised crime. Policymakers from a range of sectors must quickly grasp the reality of organised crime as a danger and respond accordingly. 

If left unchecked, organised crime and its accompanying illegal marketplaces would continue to do severe damage.

Image credit: Pixabay

Monique Vanek

(Bloomberg) – One in eight people in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to suffer from high malnutrition this year, an increase of almost a third since 2020 because of soaring food prices and depressed incomes, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The IMF estimates that at least 123 million people — 12% of the region’s population — will be unable to meet their minimum food consumption needs, 28 million more than just two years ago.
Severe drought across several countries has been exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has disrupted exports of foodstuffs such as wheat and pushed up prices. Meanwhile, severe climate incidents, which destroy crops and disrupt food transport, are disproportionately common in sub-Saharan Africa. The economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic is another factor.

These events are compounding mounting pressures from rapid population growth and a lack of resilience to climate change that have already contributed to food insecurity rising faster than in the rest of the world,” the IMF said in a report published Thursday.
Chad and Senegal have been severely affected by torrential rains and floods, while East Africa is in the grip of its worst drought in at least four decades. This significantly increases food insecurity as agricultural productivity is in some cases already less than half the global average, the IMF said, citing studies.

In Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, Niger and Tanzania, each drought or flood raises food insecurity by five to 20 percentage points, according to the report.

To help mitigate the building humanitarian crisis, the IMF proposes sub-Saharan African nations offer greater social assistance to the hungry. Targeted and far-reaching cash transfers are more effective than agricultural subsidies and help people buy food and rebuild after weather shocks, the lender said.
The IMF is also looking to expand its own role, proposing to increase access to emergency financing to low-income countries that are most vulnerable to changes in the cost of food.

Nations should invest more in infrastructure such as solar power that facilitates irrigation, water access and temperature control for food storage, the group said.

Digitalization is also crucial, as it enables farmers to access early warning systems, mobile banking and technology platforms to purchase fertilizers, seeds, or sell produce, helping to connect small producers to large vendors.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.

Image credit: Pixabay

Once again, Disney has made quite a splash with a first look at American singer, Halle Bailey’s live action “The Little Mermaid,” which earned over 104 million global views. The almost-two-minute clip takes viewers on a journey through the ocean before showing the shimmering underwater life of Ariel, brought to life by Halle, who teases her version of the iconic “Little Mermaid” song “Part of Your World.”

As expected, social media users, particularly tweeps, had a lot to say about Halle sneak peek as the new Ariel, according to Pirates and Princesses. While some were happy for the singer, others dubbed her a misfit for the character – citing her race not being that of the original Ariel.

As I stroll on TikTok, I keep seeing parents video their children reacting to The Little Mermaid trailer. So instead of focusing so much on the negative, I thought I’d show a thread of the little black kids who are excited to see their favorite princess look like them.

— Lai💔 (@normanination4) September 11, 2022

"Well the original little mermai-"

The original The Little Mermaid is a queer man's self-insertion character, longing to be able to be in a relationship with another man, and at the end the mermaid dies.

You don't care about the original, mate.

— Nome (@NomeDaBarbarian) September 12, 2022

What’s absolutely hysterical about the little mermaid “controversy” is that it quite literally doesn’t matter if you are upset about Ariel being black, the role was filled, the acting was acted, and Halle will be on screen at a theater near you, thank you.

— Challan (@challxn) September 13, 2022

The little mermaid is a Danish folktale. Y'all be the same folks talking about how white people have no culture and can only appropriate others while shilling for Disney plagiarising real white culture. https://t.co/J5zeT4YdJi

— The Unsung Poet (@b12680) September 12, 2022

But as adults went on and on, on social media, feeding into the controversy, Buzzfeed News reports that little children all over the world had some of the most heartwarming reactions to the new Ariel.

READ MORE:

Black children reacting to Halle Bailey as Ariel in The Little Mermaid trailer shows why representation matters – Metro

Disney releases the first looks at ‘Disenchanted’ and a live-action ‘Little Mermaid’ – NPR

The Little Mermaid Star Reflects On Racist Backlash To Ariel Casting – Screen Rant

Kids See Themselves Represented in the New Little Mermaid Trailer – iHeartRadio

Image Credit: Twitter 

The cast of the fantasy Prime video series “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” has faced racial backlash from fans since the show’s debut.

According to Complex, actor Ismael Cruz Córdova said that for the last two years, he has received “pure and brutal hate speech” in his direct messages almost every day.

“This is precisely why I pushed so hard for this position,” he said. “I felt capable of carrying that flame. I made sure my elf was the most Elven and magnificent since I anticipated this would happen.”

According to the Huffington Post, fans of the original film adaptations and novels are mostly to blame for the racist attacks.

“When Black and brown cast members on “Rings of Power” were announced earlier this year, they were met with immediate backlash based on the color of their skin. Claiming that the series is a misrepresentation of author J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, comments have emerged across social media rejecting the show’s diversity.”

“The Rings of Power” cast has since released a statement on Twitter condemning these racist attacks.

We stand in solidarity with our cast. #YouAreAllWelcomeHere pic.twitter.com/HLIQdyqLmr

— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) September 7, 2022

Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions, analyses, and editorials:

‘Lord Of The Rings’ Cast Takes Strong Stance Against Racist Backlash – Huffington Post

The Rings of Power is suffering a racist backlash for casting actors of colour – but Tolkien’s work has always attracted white supremacists – The Conversation

‘The Rings of Power’ Cast Condemns Racism Facing Castmates of Color: ‘We Refuse to Ignore It or Tolerate It’ – Variety

‘Rings of Power’ calls out racism against cast members of color – Reuters

Original ‘Lord of the Rings’ Stars and ‘Rings of Power’ Cast Condemn ‘Relentless Racism’ Against New Show’s Actors – Complex

The Rings’ OG Stars Plead For Inclusivity Amid Racist Backlash Against ‘The Rings Of Power’ – Deadline

Image credit: Getty Images