Blog entry by Uche Ogbu

Picture of Uche Ogbu
by Uche Ogbu - Saturday, 14 September 2019, 11:58 PM
Anyone in the world

In my previous blog, I clearly explained that the attacks in South Africa are not Xenophobia but black on black attacks. That conclusion was based on the meaning of xenophobia: strong aversion or fear of a stranger. There are blacks and whites in South Africa that are not citizens. However, the attacks are directed on African foreigners only.

The causes of black on black attacks are:

I. The poor governance, economic meltdown, conflicts, and humanitarian crisis in the continent causing an influx of foreign nationals into South Africa.

II. The belief that the influx of foreign nationals put some strains on South Africa's resources. Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, said: the influx of these foreign nationals has placed a serious burden on our public health system.

III.  Political campaigns that fan the embers of violence against foreigners used to garner support (Kerr & Durheim 2013: 585).

IV.  The willingness of foreign nationals to work long hours for less, in effect, taking up jobs that unemployed South Africans should have survived on.

V.  The inconsistent and indecisive response of the South African police authority, firming up the belief that local authority is an accomplice  (PASSOP 2014c).

The above-highlighted causes are not exhaustive. However, they are the basic and main causes of black on black attacks by South Africans on their brothers from neighboring countries.

[ Modified: Sunday, 15 September 2019, 12:24 AM ]