Deep-seated issues crux of xenophobia

King Goodwill Zwelithini

King Goodwill Zwelithini

Published Apr 16, 2015

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Johannesburg - The intermittent xenophobic violence in South Africa is a result of deep structural socio-economic problems and often manifests itself in the big cities that have undergone a post-apartheid character change.

This is the view of Dr Sagie Narsiah from the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Social Sciences, regarding the xenophobic attacks in Durban’s city centre and some townships in the eThekwini metro.

Joburg was on tenterhooks on Wednesday, with many shopkeepers in the CBD closing their stores for fear of being targeted.

Amid the outpouring of messages condemning the attacks, Narsiah cited the change in the economic character of most city centres as among the causes of the violence.

He specifically identified the proliferation of smaller businesses in the inner cities as among the causes, together with the tough economic conditions.

“Unemployment, poverty, inequality and increases in the price of basic commodities, all those issues are now being used in a superficial level to legitimise attacks on foreign nationals,” Narsiah said.

“Also, there has been movement of bigger retailers and businesses that were historically part of the CBD into the suburbs and townships. The retail space itself has now been divided into smaller bits and pieces. Many foreign nationals have now come into that space in the CBD by opening up small businesses. This has often led to tension between them and the locals.”

Narsiah alluded to King Goodwill Zwelithini’s statements that could have been the spark that ignited the recent violence.

Without mentioning Zwelithini by name, Narsiah said: “Over a period of time, these tensions have been building up and we had some statements made by people in power legitimising violence to ‘get rid of these people’.

“So I think it’s a manifestation of a deep structural crisis in the South African social fabric and economic formation. That’s why we now see this phenomenon of finding a scapegoat.”

Narsiah said it was not true that foreigners were keeping their local counterparts out of business, especially in the CBDs.

“Perhaps that may be an issue in the townships, but not in the CBDs,” he said, also citing “the collapse of South Africa’s nation-building project” as among the cause of the anti-foreigner sentiment.

“South Africa is a society that has come from a history of exclusivity and privilege to one that was meant to be inclusive, caring and driven by the depth of humanitarian ideals.

“It has now retreated into a crude narrow conception of nationalism. Let’s be frank about that,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Royal House of Nelson Mandela and the Mvezo Traditional Council called on traditional leaders to avoid inciting violence against foreigners.

Said Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, without mentioning Zwelithini’s name: “We call on traditional leaders to desist from inciting such shameful acts.

“Instead, as custodians of African traditional values, we must join hands and unite our communities behind a clarion call to stop all such acts of violence against our African compatriots. “We cannot condone hateful acts of cruelty perpetrated by hooligans, thugs and opportunistic criminals hiding behind xenophobic agendas. Such people must face the full wrath of the law and criminal justice system,” he said.

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