Earlier this year, I was privileged to be chosen as one of the many thousands of volunteers working for FIFA World Cup South Africa. It has been an exciting adventure with its twists and turns, ups and downs along the way.

Firstly, I nearly got killed riding in a ‘luxury’ bus on my way to Jo’burg. The bus rammed into a pole fell into the bus and had everyone flying out. I was not hurt but terrified none the less. The sad part is that we, the valuable customers, have not been refunded or compensated for the damage caused. After two days of travel I arrived in Cape Town. At first sight, I fell in love with the city; the scenery was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking! Cape Town is an interracial city with the local blacks, whites, coloreds and foreigners like me. When I reached my destination of stay, I was in dismay, the grandeur and splendor had lost its way into my “chikuku” as known as chicken hut or shack by my fellow Malawians, in Joe Slovo, Milnerton, where I was to spend the rest of my volunteer days. It had no bathroom nor have toilet and you had to beg the land lady to let you use her facilities. I have to say that these are harsh times for me, especially the mornings that are dark, cold, windy and rainy. Have you ever imagined yourself begging someone to let you use their toilet at 6am in such weather? Hard times indeed!

When I applied for the volunteer programme for I was hired by FIFA World Cup South Africa as a volunteer to work in the Welcome and Information area, however, I have been strung along for days and now I have been placed in the Vehicle Access Parking Pass zone, where I direct people going to match with passes where to park. However, what I have noticed is that most volunteers who were white or colored were given the best jobs, on the desks! Whereas, all the black people have the joy of standing in hallways or the 'arrivals' area at the airport with a lollipop in the hand, which read, 'Mr so and so', I think this is racism at its best! 

With all this happening to me, a Malawian friend of mine got stabbed! This was at 7pm on June 11th. He had gone to watch the opening match (Bafana Bafana vs Mexico). He was with two other friends. They were attacked by thugs who wanted to rob them but finding out that they had nothing on them they stabbed my friend and run off.  This place terrifies me now, lucky enough the victim is fine and healing after three nights in ICU. My preconception had been bad things only happen in Soweto but as it seems, the hate is everywhere. I have currently moved to Green Point near a stadium of the same name. 

Talking to a local Xhosa called Molife, he told me   “The locals (Xhosas) are paid less for work, whereas a foreigner gets paid more. Xhosas are lazy people in general. The whites favor the foreigners because they work hard, the Xhosas hate the whites and it is this disagreement that brought about the conflict, which is known as xenophobia.” He also said that “most of the people who started this conflict were mostly from the rural areas, especially the locations. But it is most unlikely to be attacked in the city because everybody minds his/her own business. He also told me the media exaggerated the xenophobia attacks, saying they would have labeled it as a conflict that erupted between locals and foreigners because of the whites.’ A Malawian domestic worker in the same area agreed with Molife and argued it is unfair that people do not want to work for their money.

Just the other day, I got cussed out for walking down the street, because a white South African man did not believe I was fit to be walking on this road. After I had retorted and told him I had as much right to be on that road, he reacted by stating that I was a “dog that needed to be shot because I was not on a leash”

Indeed, this is Africa! Racism will never be resolved amongst us as long as we are different. However, the truth is South Africans may live in a Rainbow Nation, but the colors are far apart.