South Africa xenophobia response under fire

As anti-foreigner tensions resurface in parts of South Africa , critics are questioning whether the government's response to xenophobia is working. South Africa has faced repeated outbreaks of violence targeting migrants from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Somalia, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana and Zambia. Easlier this month, Nigeria summoned South Africa's acting high commissioner , citing growing anti-African migrant protests.

More than 60 people were killed in anti-immigrant riots in 2008, while similar unrest resurfaced in 2015 and 2016. Armed mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses around the city of Johannesburg in 2019, leaving at least 12 people dead — ten of them South African citizens. The violence is often linked to frustrations over unemployment, crime, overcrowded services and poor living conditions — grievances that are frequently redirected toward migrants. Supporters of Operation Dudula say it demands immigration enforcement, while critics accuse it of fueling xenophobic sentiment Image: Mohamed Shiraaz/dpa/picture alliance However, Loren Landau, a senior migration researcher at University of the Witwatersrand's (Wits) African Centre for Migration and Society in Johannesburg, argued that the roots run deeper. "The scapegoating and demonization of migrants merely draw people's attention away from the true source of South Africa's problems and erodes democracy while putting the welfare of many people — both our own citizens and foreigners — at risk," Landau said in an article published by Wits. "Migrants are not the source of any of South Africa's challenges. There are too few to make a substantial impact on employment or crime," Landau added. South Africa's government says it condemns violence against foreign nationals and is working to strengthen social cohesion and migration management. South Africa's Foreign Minister, Ronald Lamola, recently warned against civilians taking immigration enforcement into their own hands. "It is not the responsibility of civilians to enforce the law," Lamola told DW. "Where people are told, 'You are not South African, you must go home,' that is xenophobia." South Africa: Legitimate grievances or veiled xenophobia? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Lamola rejected claims that targeting migrants would solve South Africa's economic problems.

Key points

• More than 60 people were killed in anti-immigrant riots in 2008, while similar unrest resurfaced in 2015 and 2016.
• Armed mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses around the city of Johannesburg in 2019, leaving at least 12 people dead — ten of them South African citizens.
• The violence is often linked to frustrations over unemployment, crime, overcrowded services and poor living conditions — grievances that are frequently redirected toward migrants.
• Supporters of Operation Dudula say it demands immigration enforcement, while critics accuse it of fueling xenophobic sentiment Image: Mohamed Shiraaz/dpa/picture alliance However, Loren Landau, a s…
• "The scapegoating and demonization of migrants merely draw people's attention away from the true source of South Africa's problems and erodes democracy while putting the welfare of many people — bo…