With the development of what I refer to as Mkuku-nuts or those nuts who live in the mkukus or shacks hoards of them possessed by xenophobia went on the rampage, looting, raping and killing innocent and hardworking foreign nationals living in their midst.

Shocking images of a Mozambiquan burnt or burning to death reminiscent of the anti-apartheid days when necklacing of innocent people accused of being apartheid spies were circulated.

The world was shocked and dumbfounded.

Africans across the continent were left speechless looking at the pictures of the brutalization of other human beings for the simple "crime" they came from another country.

Was this Congo, was it Rwanda, where was this? South Africa? Impossible.

But it was.

It all started in Johannesburg’s Alexandra township in the shacks. What drove the development of these mkuku-nuts?

Many reasons have been provided. But the biggest one is poverty.

Let the government address the issues of poverty and delivery of services, create jobs for its citizens and prevent the shaming of the whole country by these nuts.

Nobody wants the road to 2010 to be marred by xenophobia, racism, ignorance or even by poverty. The shock the ANC has received with the formation of COPE should jolt them into delivering services at a far faster pace.