South Africa is a country in transition and the journey is filled with surprises. Yesterday we celebrated Freedom Day and again we have high hopes that ours is a journey that will change lives for the better. Our celebrations are at a time when South Africa is fighting the flames of xenophobia.As we have done before, we came out onto the streets to declare that those who spew hate at foreign nationals are a few who do not represent the entire nation.But the anger we see in our streets tells us that more needs to be done to improve the lives of the poor, and that the f reedom we celebrated yesterday must be nurtured and continuously renewed.Gone are the days for slogans.Our people are beginning to lose their patience and will not listen to government officials and those middle-class voices that preach to them on how to behave when faced with hunger.These xenophobic attacks show us that the poor are struggling even as the government pumps millions into social programmes.The freedom tree we planted back in 1994 needs fresh soil and compost to continue to grow, and a reprieve from the sun if we are to find comfort and shade under its branches.That is why we should not allow emotions to derail our vision of a peaceful and prosperous South Africa.With Nigeria now a leading voice in urging a boycott of South African businesses by the rest of the continent in the wake of xenophobia, our government should do what our founding president Nelson Mandela would have done - look into the future and work towards a peaceful continent.We should not be driven into the space of hate towards each other.We must refuse to be defined through colonial boundaries.This freedom we enjoy today is bigger than any individual and that is why we should jealously guard it...