The government this week sought to dismiss fears of a looming outbreak in xenophobic.

There has been talk, since about just before the world cup, that there were rising tensions in squatter communities where large numbers of illegal immigrants live. The talk has been that the violence would break out after the World Cup had ended. One would imagine that the football is quite the tonic for lynch mobs eager on a bigoted rampage. Bizzare, no?

Of course none of this nascent hysteria has been backed up by anything other than talk based on reports based on talk based on, well you get the point. The past fortnight has seen reports of an exodus of immigrants from Cape Town with one newspaper commenting on apparent dozens of foreigners hitchhiking along the N1. Which I imagine is quite disconcerting given that illegal immigrants, who tend to subsist on temporary unprotected employment and even less permanent housing tend to veer towards the fixed abode side of life. A smattering of foreigners on the move, must be trouble brewing then, call in the army. It’s a national crisis. Or not.

Thing is, there is no evidence that there is a threat of massive nationwide violence against foreigners looming. Certainly there is no more evident tension than has become normal in impoverished communities who feel the government is deaf to their plight. The security forces learnt their lesson from the gruesome and shameful spilling over of tensions two years ago. The government established structures and committees at all levels to monitor and deal with xenophobic tensions. Local police and NGO’s have co-ordinated plans and processes in place should matters get out of hand.

Local and national government officials and strictures have gone to great lengths to educate people on xenophobia and violence. South Africa suffered a massive spate of service delivery protests at the beginning of the year. Most were in impoverished underserviced communities which house large numbers of illegal immigrants. Those went by with barely a sign of residents venting their frustrations on foreigners en masse. There were certainly no more acts of vandalism against foreign owned dwellings and properties than were on those owned by locals.

And if there was an orchestrated plan to launch attacks on foreigners, surely the world cup would be the perfect time? Such actions are always done to garner the most public awareness and embarrass the government into some response. What better time than when the world’s attention is on South Africa and our security forces have their major focus elsewhere? A local daily reported on an anti-xenophobia mission involving the army and police. Except the army and police quickly debunked the story pointing out that it was just a regular crime combating exercises.

I saw a story in a respected weekly tabloid bemoaning the under utilisation of “expensive” world cup courts and that told me we must be doing a great job hosting the tournament if that was the biggest complaint. So with the football party going swimmingly, the rand and the JSE holding up well amidst turbulent global trading conditions, wage negotiation season being generally less disruptive than in prior years, Julius behaving and no presidential offspring coming forth into the world, and of course the Treasury’s coffers, someone needed a story. Maybe for circulation purposes, maybe for political reasons. Or both. Who knows.

If there is indeed a legitimate threat of xenophobic violence, I am certain the authorities can and will deal with it effectively. The nation has learnt its lesson and accepted its shame here. It would be an even bigger shame for that to be used for cheap narrow interests.