Why is violence against immigrants increasing in South Africa? | | Story

Johannesburg, South Africa – Human Rights Watch has warned of a new attack on foreigners in South Africa as anti-immigrant groups increase protests and violent acts targeting foreigners, including Zimbabweans.

The warning came in a report released on Tuesday as protests escalated in South African cities, including Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban.

Groups such as March and March, and Operation Dudula, two anti-immigration groups in South Africa that advocate for stricter immigration laws, have held protests in several cities.

“We continue to receive reports through our forums about threats, intimidation, harassment, illegal evictions, discrimination at work, police hijackings, and denial of access to medical care and other issues affecting refugees and migrants,” said Mike Ndlovu, media operations coordinator at Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX).

“The most common injuries are verbal abuse, eviction from homes, discrimination in hospitals and workplaces, confiscation of property and beatings,” Ndlovu told Al Jazeera.

Messages and videos circulating on social media show anti-immigration activists calling on foreign nationals to leave South Africa by 30 June.

However, many incidents are thought to go unreported for fear of reprisal, arrest or deportation.

What causes retaliation?

In towns and cities affected by poverty, inequality and unemployment, anti-immigration groups seem to be gaining support.

Political parties such as the Patriotic Alliance, ActionSA, and uMkhonto we Sizwe are increasingly claiming that immigrants are competing for jobs and public services.

Mpho Makhubela, a member of the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) and a KAAX activist, said the security forces are growing because of the great frustration.

South Africa’s constitution and international human rights law protect the right to protest, but this does not include a license to engage in violence.

in Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka, HRW South Africa researcher

“The security forces are fueling the country’s frustration with unemployment, economic decline and the lack of efforts to tackle inequality,” he told Al Jazeera.

“The country continues to face the enormous task of dealing with what happened in apartheid.”

Population

This violence and abuse has had a profound effect on the daily lives of refugees.

Mpofu, who is a native of Zimbabwe who was a courier for Mr Delivery, a food and package delivery company, recalls meeting a group of security guards in the Pretoria CBD in January while working with colleagues from Congo and Malawi.

He said: “My co-workers jumped into the company car and ran away, leaving me alone. “They started harassing me, asking me why my friends are running away.”

Mpofu said this increased fear in his workplace, which he believes contributed to the removal of undocumented people.

Since he was laid off, he now survives by doing odd jobs as a cook and delivery boy, but he earns much less than before.

Another migrant, Zwelibanzi Velempini Khumalo, described the level of hostility in the areas around Durban and Pietermaritzburg. He said the conflict that took place in Mpumuza earlier this year resulted in the expulsion of foreign nationals while others lost their furniture, goods and businesses during the chaos.

“Irregular traders and shop owners were the worst affected. Some say they were robbed, while others were forced to leave their homes,” he said.

Khumalo also said that he was fired from his job as an accounting teacher while members of the security forces said they wanted undocumented workers to be fired. His wife, who still has a valid license, is now the sole breadwinner for the family.

“We tried to keep our documents in order, but it is difficult to enter the system because there is so much,” he said.

The official response is to push back

South Africa has said it is committed to enforcing the law and protecting foreign nationals despite rising tensions.

“It is important to understand the culture of immigrants in South Africa,” said Nomonde Mnukwa, a government spokesperson. He also explained that post-1994 policies allowed for integration rather than restricting immigration.

He acknowledged public frustration related to unemployment, economic pressures, undocumented immigration and crime, but said brutality against immigrants was unacceptable.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has said targeting migrants based on protest is unacceptable.

Mnukwa said immigration laws are being reviewed, border systems are modern, and people’s resilience. He emphasized that the constitution provides dignity and human rights to all people regardless of their nationality.

However, critics argue strongly.

Pat Mokgalusi, a spokesperson for the Dudula Operations Movement, said: “Illegal immigrants should just pack up and go,” arguing that undocumented immigration weakens the system and increases pressure on jobs and labor.

He also linked undocumented immigration to crime and poor planning, while saying immigrants are welcome if they follow the law.

Jacinta Ngobese Zuma, founder of Marchi and Marchi, said undocumented migration creates problems and contributes to overcrowding in cities, schools, hospitals and labor markets.

He added that migration should be strictly controlled using strong identification and enforcement measures.

Global concerns

Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, said his country was monitoring the escalation of the migrant crisis in South Africa, but stressed that Harare would not interfere in Pretoria’s financial affairs.

“You cannot go to their homes and teach them what to do. Zimbabwe is using diplomatic channels and embassies to help citizens who are facing difficulties,” he said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) have both expressed their concerns and called on the South African authorities to investigate the atrocities, ensure that refugees have the right to answer, and protect the rights of migrants.

Human Rights Watch said that immigrants are driving the violence, stressing that blaming immigrants for crime, unemployment and poor jobs is fueling xenophobia and undermining public security.

“South Africa’s laws and international human rights laws protect the right to protest, but this does not include permission to engage in violence,” said Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka, HRW South Africa researcher.