Xenophobia: Police need to clamp down hard and quickly

The South African government is faced with a major dilemma in the way that it approaches claims of xenophobia in South Africa. On the one hand they cannot be seen to be hysterical as this would only fan the flames created by panic merchants and those who would gain advantage while on the other they dare not ignore any claims lest they find themselves explaining away a massacre.

In 2008 the country was afforded the opportunity to study this monster up close and personal. Not because it was the first time violence against foreigners was perpetrated in South Africa, far from it. It goes way back to 1910 and the Union of South Africa when foreigners were regarded as people to fear and despise.

What was difficult to comprehend was the fact that despite South Africa becoming a democracy, xenophobia increased.

In 2008 it finally exploded and the world looked at South Africa with a mixture of bewilderment and anger.

Because the attacks were directed by township dwellers at migrants from Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe it represented local black communities preying on blacks from other African countries.

The continent saw it as ingratitude for all the support given during apartheid and the international community simply considered it a barbaric uncalled for outpouring of resentment and anger at innocent people.

Undoubtedly they were right but the underlying causes needed to be addressed.

The Human Sciences Research Council identified four main causes:

Relative deprivation, specifically intense competition for jobs, commodities and housing;

Group processes, including psychological categorisation processes that are nationalistic rather than super-ordinate;

South African exceptionalism, or a feeling of superiority in relation to other Africans; and

Exclusive citizenship or a form of nationalism that excludes others.

At that time I ventured into the township of Alexandra and spoke to residents and people at Wynberg Court. They were of the view that the main issue as far as they were concerned was lack of service delivery and corruption in local authorities. In this regard foreigners paying bribes to get housing while they wait on lists for years.

As former president Mbeki pointed out — correctly — at the time there was also a criminal element which attaches itself to any violence of this kind. It allows them to latch on as part of the mob while their real motive is robbing and looting under cover of political turmoil.

Accordingly the government has the added difficulty of distinguishing grievances from greed while deciding whether this is genuine xenophobia or just opportunism at work.

The answer has to be to err on the side of caution and clamp down hard.

Two reasons :

Firstly it will send a message to law-abiding citizens that this type of conduct will not be tolerated even if the grievances are real. There are channels now open to them and if they feel that they are inappropriate then suggest others while living with the ones in operation right now. If not it’s off to jail with police mandated to clamp down hard on any violence. This will send South Africans, foreigners and the international community the right signal. Anarchy is unacceptable.

Secondly the criminals will know that they are going to be sent to prison and this will deter them. Going to jail for crime or politics is still going to jail and will act as a major deterrent.

In Kya Sands police are reporting that tensions are running high and a stand-off is developing. There is a heavy police presence after reports that four foreign nationals, of Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and one South African had been attacked in clashes on Tuesday night. In addition there were “allegations of looting”.

The fact is there are millions of foreigners in South Africa. The chances are they could be attacked like any local citizen. The fact that there is looting involved means it could be xenophobia or criminals at work.

In 2008 more than 60 people were killed and thousands were displaced as South Africa disintegrated into xenophobic attack after attack.

The crime statistics are, as ever, unacceptable.

Police — erring on the side of caution as set out above — can strike a blow against both evils by hitting them hard and quickly. Send a signal to other communities from Kya Sands.