It is tough times to be an African immigrant in South Africa at the moment. The gory images of charred bodies in the streets and machete welding gangs, conjures back images of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

This is not the first time that some sections of the South African population, especially in poor townships, vent their desperation on foreign migrants, especially from neighbouring countries, members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

In 2007, 2008 and last year, it was the same story; the victims are accused of taking over jobs that should otherwise have gone to South Africans. But that is far from the truth. It is xenophobia through and through. Even naturalised South Africans are not spared.

The violence is not just an isolated incident in one township, but the mayhem has been spreading to other parts of the country. If nothing is done to calm things down, it risks igniting violence in the region.

Already reports indicate that over 500 South African workers in Mozambique have fled back home in fear of retaliation, Malawians and Zimbabweans are also seething in anger and others may follow suit.

In this day and age when African leaders are championing globalisation and closer continental ties, they should not let cheap and dangerous ideologies derail Africa’s growth and cooperation agenda.

If they did not learn from Rwanda’s Genocide era politicians and their capacity to inflame and instigate wanton murders, this is the time to do so, otherwise the continent is sitting on a powder keg