Why are immigrants under attack in South Africa?
The Inquiry
BBC
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 14 November 2019
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In September 2019 violence broke out in the city of Johannesburg. Many people were beaten, at least 12 were killed, and shops were looted and burned down. The perpetrators were mainly poor black South African men, and those attacked were predominantly immigrants from other African countries and from Asia.
This just the latest in a long line of xenophobic attacks in the country. In 2015 the army was even deployed to deter further unrest. Immigrants are often subject to threats on social media, and some have even voluntarily returned to their home countries in response. But in the country once labelled “the rainbow nation”, why are foreigners so often subject to violence?
We hear from:
Kimberly Mutandiro – freelance journalist Dr Alex Hiropoulos - Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at California State University, Stanislaus Dr Suren Pillay - Senior Researcher at the Center for Humanities Research, University of Western Cape Dewa Mavhinga - Southern Africa Director, Human Rights Watch
Presenter: Victoria Uwonkunda Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton Researcher: Lizzy McNeill
(A woman sings as she holds a banner during a march against the recent rise of xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Credit: Michele Spatari /Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is the inquiry on the BBC World Service with me Victoria Warhonder. |
| 0:05.2 | Each week, one question, four expert witnesses and an answer. It's early September 2019. |
| 0:15.0 | Phone start pinging and buzzing all over the city of Johannesburg. |
| 0:23.0 | Messages like this was spreading across WhatsApp and Facebook. |
| 0:27.0 | Notice to all foreigners in South Africa, |
| 0:30.0 | this is a serious warning. |
| 0:32.0 | You still have time to decide what you want. If you want to live, please pack your bags and go in peace. |
| 0:39.0 | If you want to die, please wait. |
| 0:46.0 | There will be blood and death. |
| 0:49.0 | File all over until South Africa is clean. |
| 0:54.4 | It wasn't just idle words. |
| 0:56.8 | That same day, mobs set out to do what had been threatened. |
| 1:01.3 | At least 12 people were killed in these attacks and many shops were looted and burnt down. |
| 1:07.0 | Xenophobic attacks when people are targeted for being foreign have happened before in South Africa. |
| 1:14.8 | In the 2019 incidents, were the latest in a long line of such occurrences in the country. |
| 1:21.5 | In 2015, the army was even deployed to Dieter-Father unrest. |
| 1:27.0 | So with this recurrence of violent attacks against foreign nationals, |
| 1:32.0 | this week we ask, why are immigrants under attack in South Africa? Part 1, living in Fear |
| 1:51.8 | The first xenophobic effects that happened while I was in South Africa happened in 2008 |
| 1:57.0 | and some of my family members were actually victims of xenophobic attacks because I am also an immigrant. I'm from Zimbabwe. |
| 2:04.3 | For Kimberly Mutandiro, a freelance journalist in Johannesburg, |
| 2:11.3 | these autumns violence brought back memories of a terrifying time. |
... |
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