Xenophobia is the word used to describe the phenomenon. Nongovernmental organisations and xenophobia 243 in may 2008, xenophobic attacks in south africa left more than 60 african migrants and refugees dead and thousands homeless. Constitution south african legal research guides at georgetown. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the discriminatory acts of the south african citizens towards foreign nationals. Free download a pdf of the constitution of south africa in a language of your choice. The latest outburst of xenophobic violence in south africas political capital, pretoria, and commercial capital, johannesburg, is once again reverberating across the continent. Several laws made visiting or living in south africa unpalatable to many. Fungai chopo got work as a builder, his wife, memory, was hired as a. After decades of isolation from the rest of the african continent, and the world, during apartheid, south africa finally opened up to the rest of world in 1994. There are fears of a possible flareup of violence against foreign nationals in south africa.
The report analyses the conditions that allowed xenophobic violence to erupt in south africa in may 2008, leaving 62 people dead. We, the undersigned civil society organisations write to you to raise concerns about the continued recurrence of xenophobic attacks against nonnationals living in the republic of south africa. The inference is that south africa is either unable or unwilling to contain the waves of violence against foreigners that erupts every so often. The experience of xenophobia in south africa article pdf available in american journal of orthopsychiatry 811. In a clash between the poorest of the poor, gangs of local black south africans descended on. Mahori, a south african, was allegedly a part of a group of people who attempted to rob yusufs store on january 19. Media retaliation against the 2015 xenophobic attacks in south africa. According to a 2004 study published by the southern. Xenophobic killing in south africa caught by photos cnn. This latest attack, like the one that occurred in may 2008, resulted in many deaths and left thousands displaced as they fled from the violent attacks. A general perspective of xenophobia malesela j masenya1 abstract. Proactive solutions needed to solve xenophobia problem. After all a brand is a promise, or, more accurately, it is a promise that.
Xenophobia again jeopardises south africas interests in africa. In order to tackle xenophobia, we therefore also need to move beyond explanations that are located at the level of the individual or the relational dynamics in communities to a broader engagement with the. A south african resident covers his face during a xenophobic march by the mamelodi concerned residents through the streets of pretoria, south. Exploring the discursive nuances of the south african. Xenophobia again jeopardises south africas interests in. The 2015 xenophobic attacks are a fresh reminder of antiimmigrant sentiments in south africa. Scores of people were injured and hundreds of stores were looted.
It has been a couple of months since the last outbreak of xenophobic attacks targeting african foreign nationals occurred in south africa. Although there are no appropriate records, the south african bigotry. Some, like michael neocosmos, director of global movements research at the university of south africa unisa, recall antimigrant sentiment in the early nineties, when the new government was in the midst of planning new economic policies and politicians of all stripes began drumming up antiimmigrant. The ugly truth behind sas xenophobic violence by khadija patel 28 may 20 on monday night, foreignowned stores in diepsloot were once again looted. The violence that took place in 2008 and 2015, as well as the hate. South africa imposed tough visa regulations aimed at blocking the flow of foreign nationals.
This creates a diplomatic nightmare for robert mugabe hot on the heels of a state visit to south africa that was held in the second week of april 2015. Build a united and democratic south africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of tions. No country has monopoly of violence, rep warns on february 20, 2017 7. South african civil society and xenophobia the atlantic. The individual, the state and the international system article pdf available july 2016 with 8,736 reads how we measure reads. As chairperson of the african union and president of zimbabwe, if he comes out and condemns it it undermines the diplomatic relations in place with south africa so close to the summit. South africa xenophobic attacks tensions over immigration erupted into violence in pretoria, south africa, this week.
The recent spate of attacks on foreignowned shops in some south african townships raises uncomfortable questions about xenophobia, as did similar attacks in 2008. This study seeks to understand the causes and nature of xenophobia in south africa. Reporter peter granitz says foreigners are scapegoats for those who are. A retrospective study of the effects of xenophobia on. Identity and redistribution erik lindqvist and robert ostling. Reflections, narratives and recommendations hussein solomon university of the free state, republic of south africa hitomi kosaka osaka university, japan and university of the free state abstract xenophobia, simply put, is the fear or. T hey came to south africa in search of a better life and, for a while, found the promised land. At this point, it is necessary to take a closer look at some of the factors that have encouraged the perpetration of xenophobic killings in south africa. The proportion of south africas total population that is foreign born increased from 2. Xenophobia attacks imminent in sa malawi 24 malawi news. Post apartheid south africa is host to high unemployment rates, high incom e disparity, and industrial strife. His death sparked a week of mob justice, which appeared to be inflamed by xenophobia. This south african xenophobic syndrome, moreover, has national and regional political consequences. Xenophobia in south africa causes, attacks and history.
The personal account of a sweetfooted african i am a cameroonian immigrant. Pdf this article argues that the 2015 xenophobic violence was allowed to spread due. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. Many of the displaced congregated outside police stations, arriving with just the clothing on their backs. Pdf is xenophobic violence and criminality systemic in post. The brutality attracted a great deal of media attention, which tended to assume that only two major. But its real focus is on civil society organisations, which played a key role in mitigating the worst of the violence and assisting victims, while the state dithered. Citizenship and nationalism, identity and politics codesria, 2006, 2010, pp. South africa as a brand is increasingly important in the world where nations compete for a share of the global markets. The entire african neighbourhood is horrified by reports of violent attacks targeted at foreign nationals residing in south africa. There is a marked difference in economic development and living standards between south africa and other african countries. This is from the south african government and includes a pdf version from the statutes of the republic of south africa.
South africa has become increasingly xenophobic in recent years, with a large percentage of south africans perceiving foreigners especially, almost exclusively black foreigners as a dire ct threat to their future economic wellbeing and as responsible for the troubling rise in violent. Nahla valji is a researcher at the centre for the study of violence and reconciliation. From apartheid to democracy and now its xenophobic attacks. The rise of violent xenophobia in the new south africa by nahla valji unpublished masters thesis, york university, july 2003. When some years ago there were outbreaks of violence here and there in south africa against black immigrants from other african countries those usually referred. Cormsa consortium for refugees and migrants in south africa. Understanding the causes and the nature of xenophobia in. Why xenophobic attacks persist in south africa vanguard news. With south africa, there is always an issue to contend with. Nongovernmental organisations and xenophobia in south. Constitution of the republic of south africa act 108 of 1996. Report on the sahrc investigation into issues of rule of. The xenophobia in south africa is officially out of. South africa leaders took notice after james oatway caught the horror in a wave of violence.
Most south africans are horrified by the reports they read in the press and see on television. Women and the xenophobia narrative in south africa. South africa is extremely high with regular attacks on foreign nationals. Xenophobia in sa is real iol news that connects south. Xenophobia in south africa is a phenomenon synonymous with violence and hatred towards foreigners. Xenophobia mobilising a possible solution within our midst during the past few weeks a gulf of xenophobic attacks has swept through our country. Xenophobia in south africa a brief summary by alice. Under apartheid, south africas immigration mirrored the narrow mindedness and prejudice of the national party. The republic of south africa is one, sovereign, democratic state founded on the following values. A number of public figures have declared they feel ashamed to be a south african in these times. The south african government does not collect data on attacks or threats against foreign nationals. What started off as attacks against illegal aliens soon became attacks against. Egypt located at the crossroads of africa and the arab world, nigeria, the most populous state of the continent, and south africa, which is the only developed. Last month, during two weeks in may, 2008, a series of attacks took place all over south africa.
Xenophobia in south africa african books collective. Yet despite its notoriety, xenophobia in south africa has been one of those phenomenon that are little understood and under researched, and seem to only attention attack. Centre for the study of violence and reconciliation violence and transition series 5. A critical study of the phenomenon and pragmatic solutions for south africa in the postapartheid period, thousands of refugees, migrant workers and other categories of foreign nationals have been attacked, killed, displaced or deprived of their property in xenophobic attacks throughout south africa. Find highquality xenophobia stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. Worryingly, there is a disturbing gun culture that has amounted to serious violence in the country. This made south africa the largest recipient of immigrants on the african continent in 2019. Since the 2008 xenophobic violence in the country, there has been a growing literature on xenophobia. Widespread attacks took place in may 2008, killing 62 and making international headlines. On the contrary, the preamble to the constitution of 1996 declares that the country belongs to all. This case was chosen because it is an example of a xenophobic incident. South africas transition from apartheid regime to the new democratic state attracted many immigrants from africa and other parts of world. Despite a lack of directly comparable data, xenophobia in south africa is perceived to have significantly increased after the installation of a democratic government in 1994.
1117 868 880 773 915 1000 939 1154 1424 4 526 398 122 1348 1373 1390 1032 1157 181 479 569 1390 1081 257 65 669 613 471 529 436 128