Xenophobic attacks, migration intentions and networks. 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. After widespread violence in 2008 and 2015, south africa is now clearly one of most. Media retaliation against the 2015 xenophobic attacks in south africa. 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. Some zimbabweans say they will go home, despite the political violence there, rather than face attacks in south africa.
Zimbabweans, angered by xenophobic attacks in south africa aimed mostly at foreigners of african origin in that country, are pushing for a boycott of arts events featuring south african artistes. On 11 april 2015, several south africans attacked foreigners in a xenophobic attack in durban, south africa, which extended to some parts of johannesburg. In our view, this turns the problem on its head, undermines south africas integration model for refugee protection and may inadvertently encourage further attacks against them. In south africa, xenophobia turns deadly al jazeera america. South africa is in the throes of xenophobic attacks akin to those witnessed in 2008 and 2015. The recent spate of attacks on foreignowned shops in some south african townships raises uncomfortable questions about xenophobia, as did similar attacks in 2008. Xenophobia in south africa a brief summary by alice. South africa as a brand is increasingly important in the world where nations compete for a share of the global markets.
The 2015 xenophobic attacks are a fresh reminder of antiimmigrant sentiments in south africa. Understanding the causes and the nature of xenophobia in. Owing to the expanding forms of criminal behaviour as recorded during the attacks, the. Specter of xenophobic violence resurfaces in south africa. These discourses have focused on south african narratives with little contributions on how other african nationals perceive and. The front pages of several south african newspapers on monday show a horrific image of a man being burnt to death. South africa witnessed widespread xenophobic attacks since 1994 in provinces such as gauteng, western cape, free state, limpopo and kwazulu natal. 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 when they result in violent outbreaks. Xenophobic violence against foreign nationals in south africa has worsened. Since the 2008 xenophobic violence in the country, there has been a. The rise of violent xenophobia in the new south africa by nahla valji unpublished masters thesis, york university, july 2003. In 20, the governments of nigeria and south africa signed a memorandum of understanding to reinforce diplomatic ties with the hope of preventing further attacks. Ledig protests continue as north west mec set to address.
For example, the continental repercussions to the 2015 xenophobic attacks may have pressured pretoria into making its disastrous decision to allow sudans president omar al. In the last 24 years, at least 200 people have either been killed or injured from xenophobic attacks in south africa. The anc government in its attempts to overcome the divides of the past and build new forms. South africa urgently take steps to combat impunity for. Fungai chopo got work as a builder, his wife, memory, was hired as a. Reporter peter granitz says foreigners are scapegoats for those who are. Xenophobia attacks imminent in sa malawi 24 malawi news. The experience of xenophobia in south africa article pdf available in american journal of orthopsychiatry 811. Last month, during two weeks in may, 2008, a series of attacks took place all over south africa. South africa leaders took notice after james oatway caught the horror in a wave of violence. Johannesburg, was attacked and stabbed in the heart by four young male. South african police fire rubber bullets to disperse crowds setting ablaze immigrant businesses as attacks on foreigners spread to johannesburg.
Transborder migration of african migrants into south. South africa has experienced large scale outbursts of violence against foreign nationals in 2008 and 2015. South africa xenophobic attacks tensions over immigration erupted into violence in pretoria, south africa, this week. China complains to south africa over xenophobic attacks1. From apartheid to democracy and now its xenophobic attacks. Indiscriminate mob violence against foreign nationals continues to occur in particular areas across the country, as do isolated attacks on individuals and small groups of foreign nationals. Xenophobia attacks imminent in sa jan 27, 2016 baxter mkumba top news 711 there are fears of a possible flareup of violence against foreign nationals in south africa. Chinas foreign ministry said that the country has already made formal complaints to south africa over xenophobic attacks against chinese nationals. Attacks on foreign nationals are unacceptable in our society and will not be tolerated. What started off as attacks against illegal aliens soon became attacks against. Addressing violence against foreign nationals in south africa. Several people, both foreign and south african alike, were killed with some of the killings captured on camera.
Groups representing immigrant communities in south africa said they fear a recent upsurge in antiforeigner sentiment could spark a recurrence of xenophobic attacks that rocked the country in 2008. Xenophobic violence in democratic south africa south. Xenophobia in south africa is a phenomenon synonymous with violence and hatred towards foreigners. For many immigrants in south africa, xenophobia is not simply an issue that flares up during periodic outbreaks of violence, but is a fact. Prior to 1994, immigrants from elsewhere faced discrimination and even violence in south. In 2015, seven people died during looting of foreignowned businesses in johannesburg and durban. 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. In that context the paper looks at the general perspective of xenophobia in south africa focusing on the main reasons why local citizens attack foreign nationals. Johannesburg, south africa after antiforeigner attacks last month left at least eight people dead, south africas army was deployed to hot spots of xenophobic violence, a highprofile. In south africa, there is a sentiment prevalent among. In 2015, at least five people were killed in attacks on african and international migrants in pretoria and johannesburg, while properties and. The unhcr rosa staff and their south african partners who implemented. Radio qfm has blacked out the playing of south african music effective today, april 17th in protest against xenophobic attacks on foreign national taking place in that country.
Xenophobia in south africa causes, attacks and history interactive interactive. Xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in south africa. With south africa, there is always an issue to contend with. The proportion of south africas total population that is foreign born increased from 2. If unchecked, these xenophobic attacks could soon engulf durban and spread to other parts of south africa. South africas influential zulu king goodwill zwelithini on monday described recent antiimmigrant attacks as vile, defending himself against claims that previous comments he made about. Xenophobia attacks of nigerians in south africa vanguard. The responses to the january 2015 looting of foreignowned shops in soweto and in april in durbans central business district and elsewhere reveal more about the south african national. In 2008, about sixtytwo lives were lost in the attack that took place in. These attacks appear to be instigated by elements bent on taking advantage of the unease in communities to serve their political or criminal ends. President jacob zuma cancelled a trip to indonesia and visited refugee camps in durban on saturday. Violent xenophobic episodes in south africa, 2008 and 2015. Outbreaks of antiimmigrant violence are recurring in south africa, whose standard of living attracts millions of foreigners from all over the continent, often illegally. Although there are no appropriate records, the south african bigotry.
There has been this and much speculation of the causes and triggers of the violence. Xenophobia in south africa causes, attacks and history. Since the 2008 xenophobic violence in the country, there has been a growing literature on xenophobia. Pdf is xenophobic violence and criminality systemic in post. Bronwyn harris is a former project manager at the centre for the study of violence and reconciliation. The police say they have made more than 200 arrests for crimes including murder, rape and robbery.
This made south africa the largest recipient of immigrants on the african continent in 2019. South africa 2015 xenophobic attacks spread to joburg on. South africa may be, the real figures are much lower than the popular view about the number of foreign immigrants in the country. Mailing address counterpunch po box 228 petrolia, ca 95558 telephone 1707 6293683. Finally, as the sharp international reaction to the 2015 attacks indicates, south. Fresh xenophobic attacks in south africa, shops looted fresh xenophobic attacks in south africa, shops looted on february 27, 2017 2. In terms of the nature of the xenophobia in south africa, it is argued that this often goes beyond the expression of xenophobic attitudes, and takes the form of violent xenophobic behaviour which is usually targeted at black african migrants. In a clash between the poorest of the poor, gangs of local black south. On april 2015, anc secretary general gwede mantashe reportedly stated that there was a need for camps in response to the attacks against refugees. Furthermore, the paper recommends some strategies that can be used to prevent south africans attacking foreign nationals. Nahla valji is a researcher at the centre for the study of violence and reconciliation. Reactions and actions to xenophobia in south africa. South africas novel solution to xenophobic violence. The attacks on foreign owned businesses in johannesburg last week and the refusal of many south africans to acknowledge the xenophobic impulse behind these attacks as well as the odious justifications for such.
The spate of xenophobic attacks that occurred in south africa first in 2008 and more recently in 2015 has raised questions in relation to causes and possible solutions. Kate wilkinson for africa check, part of the guardian africa network. Qfm radio station stops playing south african music in. According to a 2004 study published by the southern african migration project samp. After all a brand is a promise, or, more accurately, it is a promise that.
South africa the latest wave of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals occurred in south africas isipingo located in the province of kwazulunatal. Xenophobic killing in south africa caught by photos cnn. Violence, racial tension, heated debates about what the heritage of south africa should look like, and most recently, the spate of xenophobic attacks begs. Explanations for this violence have historical roots in the armed.
Xenophobic attacks continue in south africa the guardian. Pdf this article argues that the 2015 xenophobic violence was allowed to. South africa is a multicultural society that welcomes and. T hey came to south africa in search of a better life and, for a while, found the promised land. We estimate migration intentions of mozambicans before and after the attacks, controlling for the characteristics of households and previous migration behaviour. Nkosazana dlamini zuma has described the attacks of foreign. In 2015, another nationwide spike in xenophobic attacks against immigrants in.