The state of current African borders and their rationale: a case of recent violence in Azania

Abstract

This paper will critically look at the contemporary African borders and their historical definition and their purpose in today’s socio - political terrain. In attempting to understand the African borders discourse and their impact towards survival and security of the black Africans daily’s livelihoods. In doing so, the paper will look at violence that continues to haunt the black African world and its populace in varying degrees as time goes by especially the recent series acts of violence in the south tip of the mighty African continent. The paper will also explore the manner and the reasoning behind this type of violence that affects lack African community in almost in all socio political fronts globally in particular in Azania. The critical theory (Snyman, 1997) will be revisited in this paper as it aspires “to identify the unresolved tensions in the existing social reality and thereby to cause a change of consciousness” in dealing with future challenges and devising of the lasting solution to the current outstanding problems on sustainable environment. In addition, the babe theory (O'Rourke, 1992) and propaganda model (Herman and Chomsky, 1988) will be also investigated with a view of gaining more understanding about the borders in Africa and violence that black Africans experience. The initial 4th Century division of Africa and to the notorious Berlin Conference dubbed Scramble for Africa in the 1800 by the European nations is examined. The paper will highlight the historical manifestation of violence against black Africans globally, nationally and Azanian experience since 1600. It also explore notions such as bushman, tribalism and tribal wars, black-on-black, political violence and rape, xenophobia and Afrophobia. In concluding, the paper will look at Asante’s (1987) Afrocentric approach as the manner of dealing with challenges such as violence that is unleashed in varying degrees in different fronts i.e. through poverty, diseases and exporting all wealth of Africa to the outside world. The linear and circular thought approaches of analytical pattern (Welsing, 1991) will be also scrutinised in dealing with future challenges that are presently facing African continent and her children.