The recent events in South Africa — where immigrants have been killed and assaulted for pursuing a living in the Rainbow Nation — will not earn it friends in neighbouring states in the continent.
African nations that aided South Africa in its struggle against apartheid, and offered members of the now ruling African National Congress (ANC) refuge during the era of minority-white rule, will be reminding Jacob Zuma that it is time to call in their debts and insist on the protection of immigrant workers.
Law and order is deteriorating and the authorities have been caught on the wrong foot, by their inaction and inability to come up with a solution to stop this hostility — which is bordering on racism and xenophobia.
There will be a high price to pay for the state — socially and economically — if the issue is not brought under control. The hostility is a deviation from the visions of equality and freedom that the architects of this country had envisaged.
Investor sentiment has already been affected, thanks to growing power shortages and a falling rand. If the government is keen to control the problem then the time to make a statement of intent is now.
