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May 2008 Violence Against Foreign Nationals in South Africa

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May 2008 Violence Against Foreign Nationals in South Africa MAYY 2000088 VIIOLLEENCE AGGAAIINNSSTT FOORREEIIGGNN NNAATTIOONNAALLSS IINN SSOUTTHH AAFRRICCAA UNNDDEERSSTANNDDINNGG CCAAUUSSEES AANNDD EEVVAALUUAATTIINNG REESPPONNSSEESS By Jean Pierre Misago, Tamlyn Monson, Tara Polzer and Loren Landau April 2010 Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) and Forced Migration Studies Programme MAY 2008 VIOLENCE AGAINST FOREIGN NATIONALS IN SOUTH AFRICA: UNDERSTANDING CAUSES AND EVALUATING RESPONSES Jean Pierre Misago, Tamlyn Monson, Tara Polzer and Loren Landau Forced Migration Studies Programme (FMSP), University of the Witwatersrand and Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) April 2010 2 This research report was produced by the FORCED MIGRATION STUDIES PROGRAMME at the University of the Witwatersrand. The report was written by Jean Pierre Misago, Tamlyn Monson and Tara Polzer. The research was conducted by Jean Pierre Misago, Tamlyn Monson, Vicki Igglesden, Dumisani Mngadi, Gugulethu Nhlapo, Khangelani Moyo, Mpumi Mnqapu and Xolani Tshabalala. This report was funded by the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) with support from Oxfam GB and Atlantic Philanthropies South Africa. All statements of fact and expressions of opinion in the report are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Oxfam GB. Based in Johannesburg, the Forced Migration Studies Programme (FMSP) is an internationally engaged; Africa-oriented and Africa-based centre of excellence for research and teaching that helps shape global discourse on migration; aid and social transformation. The Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) is the South African national network of organisations working with refugees and migrants. For more information about the FMSP see www.migration.org.za . For more information about CoRMSA see www.cormsa.org.za . Cover photograph by Jean Pierre Misago. 3 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 9 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS .................................................................................................................... 10 Underlying and immediate causes of the violence .......................................................................... 10 Evaluation of interventions and responses ..................................................................................... 11 RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 14 SECTION I: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 20 SECTION II: UNDERSTANDING VIOLENCE AGAINST FOREIGN NATIONALS IN SOUTH AFRICA .................. 23 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 24 METHODS .......................................................................................................................................... 25 CONTEXTUALISING THE VIOLENCE ......................................................................................................... 26 THE MASQUERADE OF VIOLENCE: ‘POLITICS’ AND ‘CRIME FIGHTING’ ................................................ 27 History of vigilantism ..................................................................................................................... 28 Vigilantism as hate crime ............................................................................................................... 29 Violence as an appropriation of state authority .............................................................................. 30 Policing failures ............................................................................................................................. 31 SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL XENOPHOBIA ........................................................................................ 32 XENOPHOBIC INCIDENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA ........................................................................................... 38 INCIDENTS PRIOR TO MAY 2008 ........................................................................................................ 38 THE MAY 2008 ATTACKS .................................................................................................................... 40 CASE STUDIES ........................................................................................................................................ 47 CASE STUDY I: ALEXANDRA SECTOR 2 (JOHANNESBURG) .................................................................. 48 Background Information ................................................................................................................ 48 Leadership and conflict resolution .................................................................................................. 51 Profile of May 2008 violence .......................................................................................................... 52 Underlying causes .......................................................................................................................... 54 Triggers ......................................................................................................................................... 56 Events that preceded the attacks ................................................................................................... 58 Intervention to prevent/stop the violence ....................................................................................... 60 Return and reintegration ............................................................................................................... 62 CASE STUDY II: ALEXANDRA SECTOR 5/SETSWETLA (JOHANNESBURG)............................................... 65 Background information ................................................................................................................ 65 Leadership and conflict resolution .................................................................................................. 67 Knowledge of May 2008 violence ................................................................................................... 68 Why were foreign nationals not attacked in Setswetla? ................................................................. 69 Views on future interactions with foreign nationals ........................................................................ 72 CASE STUDY III: DIEPSLOOT (JOHANNESBURG)................................................................................... 75 Background information ................................................................................................................ 75 Leadership and conflict resolution .................................................................................................. 75 Profile of violence .......................................................................................................................... 78 Underlying causes .......................................................................................................................... 79 Triggers ......................................................................................................................................... 80 Intervention to prevent/stop the violence ....................................................................................... 81 Return and reintegration ............................................................................................................... 82 CASE STUDY IV: MADELAKUFA 2 (TEMBISA, EKURHULENI) ................................................................. 84 4 Background information ................................................................................................................ 84 Leadership and conflict resolution .................................................................................................. 86 Profile of May 2008 violence .......................................................................................................... 88 Underlying causes .......................................................................................................................... 91 Triggers ......................................................................................................................................... 95 Interventions to prevent/stop the violence ..................................................................................... 96 Return and reintegration ............................................................................................................... 97 CASE STUDY V: MADELAKUFA I (TEMBISA, EKURHULENI) ................................................................. 100 Background information .............................................................................................................. 100 Leadership and conflict resolution ................................................................................................ 102 May 2008 violence ....................................................................................................................... 103 CASE STUDY VI: RAMAPHOSA (REIGER PARK, EKURHULENI) ............................................................. 108 Background information .............................................................................................................
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