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'Xenophobia': Violence against foreign nationals and other 'outsiders'in South Africa
Forced Migration Studies Programme, Wits University
June 08, 2010

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Background

From 11 to 26 May 2008, foreign nationals and ethnic minorities were attacked in at least 138 sites across South Africa. This resulted in 62 reported deaths. At least a third of those killed (21) were South African citizens from ethnic minorities. In addition to the murders, over a hundred thousand people were displaced and millions of Rand of property were damaged or stolen. Since then, almost every month there has been at least one attack on groups of foreign nationals. Organisations working with migrants regularly report threats of renewed large-scale: 'Xenophobic' violence is a serious ongoing concern.

Understanding violence against foreign nationals requires empirical evidence rather than general structural arguments or conjecture

The Forced Migration Studies Programme at the University of the Witwatersrand started conducting empirical research in relation to violence against foreign nationals in 2004. The FMSP's research contributes the following elements to the national discussion about 'xenophobic' violence:

• It makes a clear distinction between discriminatory perceptions or attitudes against foreign nationals and ethnic minorities, which are widespread throughout South African society (across race, class and gender), and instances of group-based violence, which only occur in specific locations. While attitudes may inform action to some extent, they are not sufficient to explain why certain actions take place in certain places at certain times. The research presented in this brief is concerned with the factors explaining the perpetration of violence in specific places rather than attitudes;
• It is based on empirical evidence gathered in violence-affected locations. This distinguishes it from analyses based on general structural arguments or conjecture which are not subject to 'on the ground' verification.

This Migration Issue Brief summarises the findings from two studies:

• Distinguishing characteristics of the 138 wards where violence was perpetrated in May 2008, compared with neighbouring wards without violence. This analysis is based on Statistics South Africa 2001 census data describing the social characteristics of all residents in selected wards;
• Identifying triggers of violence at the community level. This is based on twelve detailed case studies in Gauteng, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, including cases of collective violence in May 2008 and since then.

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