Xenophobia in South Africa: can this morph into genocide?

Abstract

It is now well known that genocide does not occur overnight. It develops gradually over time and gains momentum, as tell-tale signs such as hate speech, insults, incitement, discrimination, dehumanisation and assaults are often deliberately ignored. Although the South African government has primarily been in denial about acknowledging this challenge, xenophobia is one of the most serious problems in the country. Across the political and ideological spectrum in South Africa, in many cases the language used by government ministers, bureaucrats and those responsible for essential services at the local level (e.g., health care) have been blatantly xenophobic. There is a tendency to stigmatise immigrants as criminals, as people who undermine economic development and take jobs from locals. This has fuelled prejudicial attitudes towards immigrants, particularly those from other African countries. These are important antecedent indicators that can anticipate the potential and serve as a catalyst for violence against targeted groups.