The words 'Rainbow Nation' once conjured the image of a bright, vibrant and peaceful South Africa. This is a far cry from the word 'xenophobic' - making the world see only red.
South Africa is a culturally diverse country, one nation made up of a variety of people. With 11 official languages, a multiplicity of traditions and skin tones we are supposed to be, as Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, the rainbow nation of Africa.
Renowned worldwide for bringing our many cultures and customs together peacefully, this image is soon to fall very far off the international radar. With the recent spate of xenophobic attacks that have left our people shocked and disorientated, a serious public relations effort should already be underway.
As any good PR person would now know, South Africa's image is in serious jeopardy and in need of some mighty PR to quell the fears raised in both local and international media. Perhaps a more appropriate approach would be to focus on Africa's image as a whole, taking responsibility and building our image and relationships with not only Africa, but the entire world.
The governments of all of Africa's nations should be brought together to focus on an "African Tourism" campaign, initiated here at home. There is an urgent need to once again find peace and stability, to focus on solutions and not [only] the problem at hand.
Government, local, and international corporate leaders must shoulder this responsibility and take charge of the needs of the people on the ground. They need to come up with a definite plan of action to address these mindless xenophobic attacks and communicate this effectively to our and other nations.
The greater part of public relations is all about perception and gearing the correct message to the correct audience, to bring about a change in behaviour. In order to do this, all stakeholders must be committed to the task at hand. While the phrase, 'Together we can make a difference' may seem like another cliché - we do all need to stand together if we are to enjoy a brighter future. At this moment, I am still proudly South African, but if this comes with a xenophobic label, I will rapidly change my stance.
International media portrayed a great majority of South Africans as xenophobic. This is certainly not the case. A few apples, rotten to the core, have caused this perception of mass proportions. The international media is a key target if we are to change this perception and ensure that South Africa once again becomes the Rainbow Nation that is admired by the rest of the world.
Government leaders need to put their differences aside and come together for the sake of our nation. A little PR will stand them in good stead.
