Friday, June 21, 2013

Xenophobia and its discontents in South Africa...

South Africa is one of the most violent countries in the world, especially towards immigrants.

Despite South Africa's recent wealth and economic success, immigrants from Somalia and elsewhere looking for opportunity in the country have little chance of attaining success and comfort.

These immigrants, who are unable to find work in South Africa's formal economy, often live in informal settlements rife with structural xenophobia, thereby creating highly violent and combustible conditions.

Daily news coverage in South Africa includes horrific crimes against women and children. One recent such incident involved two women, one 82 and the other 21, who were gang-raped and brutally hacked to death. The ubiquitous rape of women and children in South Africa led Interpol to designate the country as the "rape capital of the world". In 2009, 28 percent of men in South Africa admitted to committing rape.

But South Africa's violence is not limited to rape. As we approach the 20-year anniversary of the fall of apartheid, South Africa remains one of the most violent societies in the world. A video posted to YouTube on June 1 shows the gruesome killing of a Somali refugee man, with young men and boys kicking and hurling bricks and stones on the shattered body of the victim as pedestrians and cars passed by. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. Shocking video of Somalian stoned to death by South African mob (Graphic)
  2. A young man in Nigeria burnt alive for stealing a necklace... 
  3. The gruesome reality of racist South Africa...
  4. South Africa is an angry nation on the brink, warns Mandela's wife...
  5. South African police face inquiry over death of man 'dragged behind van'
  6. At least 18 killed as S. African police open fire on thousands of striking miners (Graphic)

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