Over the last couple of weeks violence has been on the rise in the outer black settlement towns of Johannesburg and the news is dominated by the disturbing xenophobic attacks.
Xenophobia: an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange.
Thousands of foreign nationals (mostly displaced Zimbabwean and Mozambiquan) have been attacked in what is believed to be xenophobic motivated attacks. 24 people have been killed in Gauteng (province we live in) and many businesses belonging to foreign nationals have also been destroyed. The attacks have been contained to date in the outer very poor lawless areas, as these are the areas the immigrants are forced to find housing.
The xenophobic attacks has displaced thousands of foreigners (many illegal) who are accused by many South Africans of depriving locals of jobs and committing crimes. Many of the illegal immigrants are skilled artisans from Zimbabwe where the current economic conditions are even worse.
Not surprisingly it is quite disturbing to hear first hand about the violence and know that you are living so close to it. We are however quite safe and do not feel at all threatened. The violence against foreign nationals is limited to the lowest socio economic areas and illegal immigrants (ie. NOT us!).
Xenophobia: an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange.
Thousands of foreign nationals (mostly displaced Zimbabwean and Mozambiquan) have been attacked in what is believed to be xenophobic motivated attacks. 24 people have been killed in Gauteng (province we live in) and many businesses belonging to foreign nationals have also been destroyed. The attacks have been contained to date in the outer very poor lawless areas, as these are the areas the immigrants are forced to find housing.
The xenophobic attacks has displaced thousands of foreigners (many illegal) who are accused by many South Africans of depriving locals of jobs and committing crimes. Many of the illegal immigrants are skilled artisans from Zimbabwe where the current economic conditions are even worse.
Not surprisingly it is quite disturbing to hear first hand about the violence and know that you are living so close to it. We are however quite safe and do not feel at all threatened. The violence against foreign nationals is limited to the lowest socio economic areas and illegal immigrants (ie. NOT us!).