How fresh xenophobia in south africa began article. In 2008, sixtyfour people died in a wave of antiimmigrant violence in the alexandra township of johannesburg. The attacks deep roots may be in generations of discrimination, the migrant labor system, or persistent poverty. Xenophobic attacks of nigerians in south africa vanguard news. Sep 12, 2019 one of the ugly fallout of the xenophobia in south africa which triggered the spontaneous counterviolence in nigeria that saw a couple of shoprite outlets being looted by angry nigerians.
Open letter to the african commission regarding the. The paper closely analyses these reasons and suggests a way. In this paper, i am troubled by the xenophobic situation that has come to characterise black south africans to the point of overshadowing any goodness south africa has collectively achieved. A woman covered in soot shouts at foreign nationals in the jeppestown area of johannesburg, april 17, 2015, after a vehicle was torched in the second day of xenophobic riots in south africa. Revisiting the may 2008 xenophobic attacks in south africa by jephias matunhu midlands state university department of development studies zimbabwe abstract xenophobia is a latent or obtrusive dislike of foreigners. Xenophobic violence against nonnationals in south africa hrw.
University of the free state, republic of south africa. A group called the socioeconomic rights and accountability project serap brought the case to the african commission on human and peoples rights and it has agreed to take. This book is a vivid history of racism in postapartheid south africa, focusing on how colonialism still haunts black intraracial relationships. Xenophobic violence in the rainbow nation racism news.
According to 2015 figures released by statistics south africa, 21. The unhcr rosa staff and their south african partners who implemented the. The role of south africas government in the xenophobic. Public perception of nigerian newspaper coverage of xenophobic. Governmentcommissioned report says media houses played a role in the deadly 2015 xenophobic attacks in kwazulunatal. Why the deadly attacks against foreigners in south africa. Moreover, these attacks gave lie to the belief that the outbreaks of 2008 were a unique moment an. A retrospective study of the effects of xenophobia on south. What are the effects of xenophobia in south africa bartleby.
Sep 03, 2019 a shot clip of a man being burned alive as a crowd cheers has gone viral on social media following the latest wave of xenophobic violence in south africa. What is xenophobia and how does it come about south african. Anger at xenophobic attacks spreads across africa as sa. Can south africa rein in its deeprooted xenophobia. Hundreds of nigerians to take free evacuation from south africa.
South africa launches plan to combat xenophobia and racism. Addressing social cohesion and xenophobia in south africa. According to a 2004 study published by the southern. It is antisocial and destructive of property and life. Xenophobia is a social and political issue in south africa which i believe needs revolution. In 2008, about 60 people were killed and over 50,000 forced from their homes in the suburbs of the former. Citizen attitudes to immigration and refugee policy in southern. Citizen attitudes to immigration and refugee policy in southern africa pdf. Cool heads and fact checking needed after xenophobic attacks. Xenophobic attacks of nigerians in south africa vanguard.
In south africa, the 2008 riots can be seen as a key moment in the history of south african statecraft, revealing the gestation of two social dynamics. Apr 07, 2019 the assessment of these ngos is that xenophobic violence in south africa can be clearly distinguished from common crime such as theft and assault. Pdf in 2008, more than 60 foreigners were killed during. Examining the phenomenon of xenophobia as experienced by. Addressing violence against foreign nationals in south africa. On 11 april 2015, several south africans attacked foreigners in a xenophobic attack in durban, south africa, which extended to some parts of johannesburg. It is upsetting because they are dragging the name of the real mk vets to the ground. Sep 03, 2019 a wave of xenophobic attacks in south africa has left migrants living in fear of their lives and soured the governments relationship with its regional counterparts. Bishops across africa condemn xenophobic attacks in south. Xenophobic killing in south africa caught by photos cnn. Xenophobia in south africa is often sparked by accusations that migrants take away jobs from south africans. In 2015, another widely documented series of xenophobic attacks occurred in south africa, mostly against migrant zimbabweans. Chiliza said the mkmva is against the xenophobic attacks.
These attacks have been particularly painful and confusing for us, the political left. Apr 20, 2015 south africa s unemployment data shows that 26. Xenophobic violence and struggle discourse in south africa. Finally, as the sharp international reaction to the 2015 attacks indicates, south. Mar 01, 2017 what caused the xenophobic attacks in south africa. It does more than just measure the impact and efficacy of four programmes implemented to mitigate xenophobia in south africa. Xenophobia in south africa leaves a question mark 1 punch. April 2015 xenophobic attacks on foreigners, especially african immigrant entrepreneurs.
The latest attacks evoked ugly memories of the deadly xenophobic attacks of 2015 which displaced hundreds of thousands of zimbabweans and other african immigrants living in south africa, following. In 2015 and 2017, there were again fatal bouts of xenophobic violence in south africa albeit at a lesser scale of destruction than that of the 2008. A contextualisation of the 2008 and 2015 xenophobic attacks. Nigeria pushes back against south african xenophobic attacks. Xenophobia and capitalist urbanisation processes in. This paper argues that xenophobia in south africa is entangled in discourses of liberation struggle. Once again the language of fear, reprisal and ultimately assault became a part of our national dialogue as the word xenophobia dominated news headlines. Pdf xenophobic violence and struggle discourse in south.
Attacks on foreigners in south africa are quite episodic and even predated 1994 the year the country was freed from apartheid rule and became a rainbow democracy. Xenophobia in south africa causes, attacks and history. In 2015, another nationwide spike in xenophobic attacks against immigrants in. That south africa has a xenophobia problem is not news, as regular media reports remind us.
Article has an altmetric score of 2 free access translated abstracts available. In 2015 and 2017, there occurred a series of attacks on nationals of foreign countries. Dear all please find here attached the updated programme of the commemoration of the xenophobic attacks in south africa. Sep 08, 2019 the history of these xenophobic attacks in south africa is beginning to read like an annual festival of hate. Department of business management, university of the free state. Bishops across africa condemn xenophobic attacks in. An assessment of xenophobic afrophobic attacks in south africa 2008 2015. Again, xenophobia in south africa, by dele agekameh premium. Sep 06, 2019 there is a narrative in the country that there is no conflict between south africans and foreign nationals from africa. The xenophobic attacks on foreignowned businesses in south africa have caused outrage across africa. Several people, both foreign and south african alike, were killed with some of the killings captured on camera. South africa, periodically erupting into violent xenophobic attacks. Outrage as sa xenophobia attacks get out of hand photos. Xenophobia in south africa a history kenneth tafira.
Sep 17, 2020 johannesburg, september 17, 2020 xenophobic harassment and violence against african and asian foreigners living in south africa are routine and sometimes lethal, human rights watch said in a. 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. Mar 25, 2019 virtually no one has been convicted for past outbreaks of xenophobic violence, including the durban violence of april 2015 that displaced thousands of foreign nationals, and the 2008 attacks on. In may 2008, 62 people were killed in a wave of xenophobic attacks across townships. Pdf the impact of xenophobic attacks on nigeriasouth. Johannesburg inner city in april 2015, contrast sharply. In the latest spate of attacks, which began around the end of march, black foreigners in brits, located in north west province and durban, located in kwazulunatal province have faced the hostilities of locals. But, contrary to popular perception, xenophobic attacks do not disproportionately target nigerians. The group said xenophobia remained widespread in south africa despite a government action plan rolled out in may 2019 to combat intolerance. Xenophobic attacks leave migrants living in fear moneyweb. What is driving xenophobic violence in south africa. According to reports, south africans say their anger during the 2015 attack was that black migrants from other african countries especially nigeria were. Mamabolo m 2015 drivers of community xenophobic attacks in south africa. Apr 24, 2015 asian nationals hold placards reading no to xenophobia during a march in johannesburg, south africa, thursday, april 23, 2015, protesting against recent attacks on immigrants that killed seven.
In 2015, another nationwide spike in xenophobic attacks against immigrants in general prompted a number of foreign governments to begin repatriating their citizens. Nationwide attacks on migrants and refugees in 2008 and 2015 have been interspersed with ongoing lowerlevel episodes of violence. May 03, 2015 pictures of xenophobia in south africa. The impact of xenophobic attacks on nigeria south africa relations adeleke olumide ogunnoiki and ademola adefisayo adeyemi graduate, department of political science, faculty of social sciences, university of lagos, akoka, lagos state, nigeria abstract.
Apr 10, 2019 fresh attacks on black foreigners have, once more, unearthed the cankerworm of xenophobia in south africa. Sep 16, 2019 this is not the first time south africa has experienced such violence. A bakkie sits outside his store loaded with refrigerators. The journal for transdisciplinary research in southern africa 114. After widespread violence in 2008 and 2015, south africa is now clearly one of most. Raise awareness among poor south africans of free or lowcost. Xenophobia has remained a constant irritant in nigeria south africa relations since the major attacks on african migrants in poor neighbourhoods in cape town, durban and johannesburg in 2008 and 2015. Polzer argues that xenophobic attacks happen where the state is. By connecting the 2008 attacks to similar violence in 2015, it traces. Sep 11, 2019 to be certain, the recent xenophobic attacks were not one of a kind. South africa, have experienced sporadic xenophobic attacks from locals since 2008. Amusan l and mchunu s 2017 an assessment of xenophobic afrophobic attacks in south africa 2008 2015.
Open letter to the african commission regarding the xenophobic attacks in south africa 23 april 2015, dear chair and commissioners of the african commission on human and peoples rights, we, the undersigned civil society organisations, write to you as concerned organisations and citizens of the african continent to raise concern about the. Several south african chain stores have shuttered their operations as protests against xenophobic attacks grow in the rest of africa, and official continental criticism of south africa mounts. This followed remarks by zulu king goodwill zwelithini kabhekuzulu stating that the migrants should pack their bags and leave. Outbreaks occur where governance systems fall short. South africa has played host to some of the worst xenophobic attacks in recent memory. Johiy khan, 27, from bangladesh, has lived in south africa since 2006 and has run the blue container shop in emdeni for four years. Since the fall of apartheid in south africa, the climate of xenophobia has been penetrating the south african landscape through a myriad of countless assaults on foreigners, and the build up to the xenophobic outbursts in early 2008. African journal of criminology and justice studies. Sep 02, 2019 south africa has been hit by an outbreak of attacks on migrants from other african countries as the nation prepared to host a meeting of political and business leaders from across the continent. Pictures of xenophobia in south africa south africa news. How fresh xenophobia in south africa began article pulse. Xenophobia, the fear of and prejudice against black immigrants, exists in my community, rosettenville as there have been attacks on foreigners. South africas grand transition and reintegration into international affairs under.
But as violence against them continues, the south african government insists that criminality is. Xenophobic attacks in south africa, which started around mid may. Oct 02, 2019 in 2015, there were outbreaks of violence against non south africans, mostly in the cities of durban and johannesburg, which led to the deployment of the army to deter further unrest. Xenophobic attacks are a regular occurrence in south africa, with 7 deaths in 2015.
Let us all come together to pay tribute to the victims, reflect on the current situation, listen to activists, unionists, academics and the broader civil society. Sep 03, 2019 nigerian mission in south africa has attributed the renewed xenophobic attacks on nigerians and spate of violence to the weak judicial system and lack of adequate stringent measures against crimes. Even a cursory look into the archives would show attacks from 2008 where more than 60. Cape, gauteng, kwazulunatal, free state, limpopo, mpumalanga and. Pdf an assessment of xenophobicafrophobic attacks in south. Xenophobic violence against nonnationals in south africa. South africa is extremely high with regular attacks on foreign nationals.
A pew research poll conducted in 2018 showed that 62% of south africans viewed immigrants as a burden on society by taking jobs and social benefits and that 61% of south africans. Pdf managing root causes and effects of xenophobic attacks in. On the ground is another reality, where the horrific spate of xenophobic. Yet many places including many in south africa face these challenges without violence. To be certain, the recent xenophobic attacks were not one of a kind.
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