XENOPHOBIA AND AFRICAN UNITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY(History & International Studies)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Xenophobia according to the oxford dictionary, is the dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.¹ It is a known fact that xenophobia is one of the major reasons for African’s disintegration. Xenophobia is becoming a prominent aspect of life in Africa. From Kenya to the Maghreb and across Southern Africa, discrimination against non-nationals, particularly fellow Africans, has been on the rise according to international media reports^.2 However, Crush states that exclusion, based on the idea of being 'non-native' has existed in Africa since independence (and was codified during colonialism). Bounded ideas of citizenship have existed in Africa for two centuries, and contemporary xenophobia can be seen as one of the most recent manifestations of this feature.³

The underlying causes of xenophobia are complex and varied.Xenophobia has to do with being contemptuous of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or of people from different countries or cultures. Unemployment and mounting poverty among South Africans at the bottom of the economic ladder have provoked fears of the competition that better educated and experienced migrants can represent. South Africa’s long track-record of violence as a means of protest and the targeting of foreigners in particular; and, the documented tensions over migration policy serve a very good explanation for its Xenophobia.⁴ It was clear that most of the attacks were directed against foreigners, primarily African, migrants, however that was not the rule. Attacks were also notedagainst Chinese-speakers, Pakistani migrants as well as against South Africans from minority language groups (in the conflict areas). Settlements that have recently experienced the expression of ‘xenophobic’violence have also been the siteof violent and other forms of protest around other issues, most notably service delivery^.5

The wave of xenophobic violence that swept South Africa started on 11 May, 2008 in Alexandra, Johannesburg in reactions to the claim by the aboriginals that foreigners are more ofthreat to their socio-economic life as a result ofunemployment, crime, the rising cost of living, complaints about service delivery and the like. On 22 May, attacks started in earnest in the Western Cape. As a result of the xenophobic attacks, between 20,000-30,000 people were displaced in Cape Town following violence, robbery, rapes, assaults and threats. Thousands of others left the city. Almost all were black Africans from the rest of the continent but Indian, Pakistani and Chinese nationals were also affected. Violence occurred across the city, but mainly in informal settlements and townships. Smaller towns in the Western Cape were also affected.⁶The civil society organsisation and CORMSA responses were prominent and active to the xenophobic attacks. In 2008 alone, about 67 migrants of African descent lost their lives to the brutish xenophobic attacks in south Africa.⁷

Therefore, the xenophobic violence and attacks had zero positive impact in African’s unity. It was more of brutality, killings, lootings etc. It should also be noted that these attacks had negative impacts on south-African business operating elsewhere in Africa. No doubt south- African nationals and companies in other countries would suffer backlash as a result of the attacks on foreigners and this will only cause disintegration amongst Africans instead of unity and peaceful co-habitation.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          The series of deadly xenophobic violence that has occurred in South Africa over the years has inspired the researcher’s choice of topic. Continuous clashes will have devastating effects on the South Africa and other African states like destruction of properties, de-population and even backlash in their economy system. So therefore, the researcher the researcher points that conflict or violence should not be understood as an inherently negative and destructive occurrence most especially when it has to do with people or states you are closely related with, but rather a potentially positive and productive force for change if harnessed constructively.

1.3      OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to evaluate vividly the damping effects of xenophobia in Africa and its divisive role amongst Africans. Also, it is the essence of this research work to provide insight to the concept of xenophobia. More also, it is the aim of this study to discuss and determine the major roles of organizations, government, individuals and even the military in curbing the violence in their community, states and Africa at large so as to foster unity and harmonious relationship between African states.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is of paramount importance to all Africans in general for it explains a lot on the divisive role of the xenophobic crisis in Africa and why it must be eliminated to create a peaceful and habitable atmosphere for all Africans irrespective of their state, country or skin.

This work also addresses the need to expound the concept of xenophobia to the general populace. This study is therefore vital as it promises to provide a broader understanding, not only on xenophobic attacks but its role in African unity. Also, this research work serves as a reference material to those who might develop interest of this particular work.

1.5    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research discussed majorly on xenophobia and Africa unity in the 21^st century. Also, the study was limited to a particular and specific area in Africa (south-Africa). This study also covers some of the regions where these attacks were prominent like Alexandra and Durban, in South Africa

1.6       METHODOLOGY FOR THE STUDY

The methodology is basically historical. Historical methods were adopted for this study, using primary and largely secondary sources .The primary sources include: News film footage and oral interviews while the secondary sources include: books, reports, newspaper, written articles, internet and commentaries.                                                                                        

1.7       LIMITATIONS TO THE STUDY                                                                                     Since this research involves thorough reading of several books, newspaper and public articles, most of the materials required are not available around so one needed to go as far as purchasing some online to make the information available.

1.8      CONCEPT OF XENOPHOBIA                                                                              Despite the ever-increasing cases of xenophobia worldwide, its definition remains elusive. Xenophobia isdescribed as a dislike for foreigners or that which is foreign. It is a 'hatred or fear of foreigners ^8. While etymologists break the term into ‘xeno’ and ‘phobia’ which suggest ‘strange or foreign’ and ‘fear’ respectively. Xenophobia indicates a hate or dislike for foreigners exemplified by negative attitude towards foreigners, a dislike, or a hatred usually driven by competition for scarce resources. Tshitereke  argues that defining xenophobia as an attitude may be misleading, giving the April 2008 xenophobia outbreak as more than an attitude but action.⁹However, it still remains debatable whether what is being witnessed in South Africa is indeed xenophobia or is it just a word ‘framed’ by the media and politicians then used to describe any types of violence against foreigners.The explanations above suggest that xenophobia is a natural dislike or hate for that which is foreign while further explanations in this work associate the dislike or hate to competition for scarce resources which takes away the ‘naturalness’ from the ‘dislike’.
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