What Causes Xenophobia In South Africa

Introduction and Background to the research:

South Africa is a young democratic state, historically characterized by racial and political violence, territorial conflict, wars of conquest, and inter-ethnic rivalry. Since the arrival of settler famers or the beginning of colonialism after the Berlin conference, it has been the center of different kinds of racial segregations and violence. Segregations range from racism (settlers against natives) during colonialism in the late 19th and to 20th centuries, apartheid which was the system of racial segregation (whites on blacks) enforced through legislation by the Dutch government on native South African from 1948 to 1994, genocide which is a division or the killing of one ethnic group by another

During the incident there were a hundreds of people including women and children, were attacked, raped, and have had their houses and belongings looted or destroyed. According to the police statements, 62 migrants were murdered (McKenzie, 2008). It happens again in 2015, starting from KwaZulu-Natal, Durban and diffused to Gauteng. One of the fundamental issues is that xenophobia only affects people from African neighboring countries, such as Zimbabwe and Mozambique, but not migrants from more distant countries or from different continent.

The study will be looking at different causes of xenophobic attacks of only African citizens and not people from other continents like Europe, Asia and Australia. It will also look at the impact xenophobia has on victims and international relations as a whole, with intentions to come up with solutions that will enhance regional corporation, leading to economic and social prosperity.

1.1. Problem statement and reason for the

Black people have been marginalized throughout these tragic and bias system, always been excluded from the economic prosperity, keeping them in the lowest level of the hierarchy. In 1994 South Africa gained its independence or freedom but still did not gain economic freedom. It is for this reason that South Africa’s contemporary struggle are along the line of economic freedom and prosperity. In Africa, South Africa is one of the leading economies and it is expected to take the continental lead and also provide the basis for Africa’s socio-economic integration (Harris, 2001). The plan for post-colonial Africa is to focus on economic prosperity through increasing intra African trade and local investment. Now the plan of economic integration in Africa is in question due to the prevailing tragic incidents of xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals. South Africa is one of the most cultural diverse countries with at least eleven official languages and five racial groups. It is also known to be the home for foreign nationals from approximately 53 African countries making it the most cultural diverse country in the entire continent (Harris,