Lebo Mashile on 'Phoenix massacre': 'Killing black people is just business as usual'

“Every day I wake up thinking about the fact that more than 300 people died. This is nearly ten times the number of people killed at Marikana,” she wrote.

06 August 2021 - 07:00 By deepika naidoo
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Lebo Mashile has lamented the loss SA has experienced over the weeks due to turmoil.
Lebo Mashile has lamented the loss SA has experienced over the weeks due to turmoil.
Image: Instagram/Lebo Mashile

Poet and actress Lebo Mashile has taken to social media, along with many other South Africans, to speak out on the Phoenixm massacre.

After the looting and rioting following the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma in July, Mzansi has been left shattered by the events that transpired during the unrest.

Tensions have flared between Indians and black Africans over killings that took place in Phoenix, north of Durban, during the riots and looting, leading to the #PhoenixMassacre trending and being talked about for the past couple of weeks.

Actress Lebo took to Twitter to raise awareness about the concerns over the aftermath and collateral damage society has had to deal with.

The star compared it to the Marikana massacre in 2012, saying there hasn't been any consideration for honouring the lives of those who died during the unrest.

“Every day I wake up thinking about the fact that more than 300 people died. This is nearly ten times the number of people killed at Marikana. No mourning. No remembrances. No reflection. No apologies. Killing Black people is just business as usual,” she wrote.

This lead to discussion in the reply section of the tweet, with comedian Celeste Ntuli saying that within the Black community, there was a lack of solidarity.

“We’ve forgotten to pro black and identifying as Black First instead we identify ourselves as gender/sexuality/economic class before race. Meanwhile the other races identify by race first. This is what divides us. They were called looters instead of black people!”

Lebo responded, saying that issues afflicting the black community shouldn't fall on deaf ears, and people should be continuing to create conversation about what she considers one of SA's major issues.

“We must normalise calling apartheid billionaires looters. We must talk about the people who died, the cover up #PhoenixMassacre, and the dehumanisation of Black people every day until this country chokes on our words and spits out the truth,” she wrote.

Provincial leaders of the EFF in KwaZulu-Natal embarked on a march in Phoenix on Thursday against those involved in criminal acts during the recent unrest. 

This was after a meeting with clergy on Wednesday. Speaking to TimesLIVE, EFF provincial chairperson Vusi Khoza said the meeting was held to allay concerns about inciting violence and racial hatred. 

“We were asked by the clergy in Phoenix to attend the meeting. In fact, it was beyond just church leaders from Phoenix. Some pastors came from the south and north coasts due to their concerns about what has been happening. They wanted us to explain what our purpose was as they wanted to hear a message of peace.”


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