Abstract
This chapter seeks to debunk the notion that weak borders are the prime instigator of xenophobia; rather it argues that segregation policies of apartheid led to the consolidation of the xenophobic sentiments among black South Africans towards other black Africans. The chapter contends that there is a link between xenophobic sentiments and apartheid segregation laws. Many black South Africans were overjoyed when apartheid ended as this was seen as an opportunity for socio-economic development. However, the subsequent inflow of undocumented immigrants from the rest of Africa, coupled with what black South Africans saw as limited resources gave rise to the “Othering” and observing immigrants as invaders rather than fellow Africans. Xenophobic sentiments soon superseded the role that was played by African states in the liberation of South Africa.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
Maina, Grace, Nonjabulo Mathonsi, Christy McConnell, and Genevieve Williams. “It’s not just xenophobia: Factors that lead to violent attacks on foreigners in South Africa and the role of the government, accessed November 22, 2020. https://www.accord.org.za/publication/its-not-just-xenophobia/
- 2.
Eusebius, Mckaiser. “South Africans Are Used to Being the Targets of Racist Hatred. Now they’ve become the Haters”, accessed June 13, 2020. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/09/19/south-africans-are-used-to-being-the-targets-of-racist-hatred-now-theyve-become-the-haters-xenophobia-afrophobia/
- 3.
Mutanda, Darlington. “Xenophobic violence in South Africa: Mirroring economic and political development failures in Africa.” African Identities 15, no. 3 (2017): 278-294. https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2017.1291325
- 4.
Maharaj, Brij. “Global migration perspectives.” Immigration to postapartheid. Pietermaritzburg: University of KwaZulu Natal (2004). https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/42ce45074.pdf
- 5.
Chris McMichael, “The remilitarisation of South Africa’s borders, accessed June 18, 2020. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/re-militarisation-of-south-africas-borders/.
- 6.
Masikane, Champion M., Magda L. Hewitt, and Joyce Toendepi. “Dynamics informing xenophobia and leadership response in South Africa.” Acta Commercii 20, no. 1 (2020): 1-11. https://actacommercii.co.za/index.php/acta/article/view/704/1364
- 7.
Adjai, Carol, and Gabriella Lazaridis. “Migration, xenophobia and new racism in post-apartheid South Africa.” Int’l J. Soc. Sci. Stud. 1 (2013): 192. https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v1i1.102
- 8.
Duncan, Norman. “Reaping the whirlwind: Xenophobic violence in South Africa.” International Community Psychology 3, no. 1 (2011): 254-271. https://www.gjcpp.org/en/resource.php?issue=10&resource=52
- 9.
Harris, Bronwyn. “Xenophobia: A new pathology for a new South Africa.” Psychopathology and social prejudice (2002): 169-184. https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/100580/xenophobia.pdf
- 10.
Mario Matsinhe, David. “Africa’s Fear of Itself: the ideology of Makwerekwere in South Africa.” Third World Quarterly 32, no. 2 (2011): 295-313. DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2011.560470
- 11.
Sapire, Hilary. “Liberation movements, exile, and international solidarity: an introduction.” Journal of Southern African Studies 35, no. 2 (2009): 271-286. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40283233
- 12.
Yumi Nakayama. “Multilateral migration governance in SADC countries.” African Studies Center – Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan. Working Papers 2018 Development, Migration, and Resources in Africa (2019): 29-43.
- 13.
Tati, Gabriel. “The immigration issues in the post-apartheid South Africa: Discourses, policies and social repercussions.” Space population’s societies. Space population’s societies 2008/3 (2008): 423-440. https://doi.org/10.4000/eps.3496
- 14.
Beck, Martin. “Securitization of Refugees in Europe”, accessed 17 June 2020. https://www.e-ir.info/2017/09/18/securitization-of-refugees-in-europe/
- 15.
Freedom, House. “South Africa: Authorities Must Improve Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, accessed 12 July 2020. https://freedomhouse.org/article/south-africa-authorities-must-improve-treatment-refugees-and-asylum-seekers
- 16.
Mabera, Faith. “The impact of xenophobia and xenophobic violence on South Africa’s developmental partnership agenda.” Africa Review 9, no. 1 (2017): 28-42. https://doi.org/10.1080/09744053.2016.1239711
- 17.
Akinola, Adeoye. The political economy of xenophobia in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, 2018.
- 18.
Tshabalala, Sibusiso. “Why black South Africans are attacking foreign Africans but not foreign Whites.”, accessed 20 July 2020. https://qz.com/384041/why-black-south-africans -are-only-attacking-foreign-africans-but-not-foreign-whites/
- 19.
South African history online. ‘A history of Apartheid in South Africa”. Accessed 03 July 2020. https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/history-apartheid-south-africa#:~:text=Apartheid%20called%20for%20the%20separate,racial%20groups%20in%20South%20Africa.&text=Apartheid%20made%20laws%20forced%20the,social%20integration%20between%20racial%20groups.
- 20.
Mvumvu, Zingisa. ‘Legacy of apartheid a deeper reason’ for xenophobic attacks, Naledi Pandor says, accessed 13 June 2020. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2019-09-09-legacy-of-apartheid-a-deeper-reason-for-xenophobic-attacks-naledi-pandor-says/
- 21.
Aduaka, Anthony. “Xenophobia — a by-product of apartheid?”, accessed 01 July 2020. https://spotlight.africa/2018/06/18/xenophobia-a-by-product-of-apartheid/
- 22.
Fröhlich, Marieke and Granados, Estefania Lopez. “Xenophobic violence and spatial inequality in South Africa”, accessed 04 September 2020. https://blog.prif.org/2019/10/08/xenophobic-violence-and-spatial-inequality-in-south-africa/
- 23.
Misago, Jean Pierre. “Responding to Xenophobic Violence in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Barking up the Wrong Tree?” African Human Mobility Review 2, no. 2 (2016): 443-467. http://www.migration.org.za/responding-to-xenophobic-violence-in-post-apartheid-south-africa-barking-up-the-wrong-tree/
- 24.
South African News. “Read: Nelson Mandela’s inauguration speech as President of SA”. Accessed 15 September 2020. https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/read-nelson-mandelas-inauguration-speech-president-sa
- 25.
Piper, Laurence, and Andrew Charman. “Xenophobia, price competition and violence in the spaza sector in South Africa.” African Human Mobility Review 2, no. 1 (2016): 332-362. https://sihma.org.za/journals/Piper-Charman.pdf
- 26.
Fabricius, Peter. “Is xenophobia becoming part of the South African way of life.”, accessed 18 September 2020. https://issafrica.org/amp/iss-today/is-xenophobia-becoming-part-of-the-south-african -way-of-life#:~:text=The%20South%20African%20government%20mostly,life%2C%20like%20other%20violent%20crimes
- 27.
Crush, Jonathan. “Xenophobic violence in South Africa: Denialism, minimalism, realism, accessed 03 August 2020. https://media.africaportal.org/documents/Xenophobic_violence.pdf
Bibliography
Carol, Adjai, and Lazaridis Gabriella. "Migration, xenophobia and new racism in post-apartheid South Africa." Int'l J. Soc. Sci. Stud. 1 (2013): 192. https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v1i1.102
Anothony, Aduaka. “Xenophobia — a by-product of apartheid?”, accessed July 1, 2020, https://spotlight.africa/2018/06/18/xenophobia-a-by-product-of-apartheid/
Akinola, Adeoye. The political economy of xenophobia in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, 2018.
Martin, Beck. “Securitization of Refugees in Europe”, accessed June 17, 2020, https://www.e-ir.info/2017/09/18/securitization-of-refugees-in-europe/
McMicheal, Chris. “The remilitarisation of South Africa’s borders, accessed June 18, 2020. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/re-militarisation-of-south-africas-borders/.
Jonathan, Crush. "Xenophobic violence in South Africa: Denialism, minimalism, realism, accessed August 03, 2020, https://media.africaportal.org/documents/Xenophobic_violence.pdf
Norman, Duncan. "Reaping the whirlwind: Xenophobic violence in South Africa." International Community Psychology 3, no. 1 (2011): 254-271. https://www.gjcpp.org/en/resource.php?issue=10&resource=52
McKaiser, Eusebius. “South Africans Are Used to Being the Targets of Racist Hatred. Now They’ve Become the Haters”, accessed June 13, 2020. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/09/19/south-africans-are-used-to-being-the-targets-of-racist-hatred-now-theyve-become-the-haters-xenophobia-afrophobia/
Peter, Fabricius. "Is xenophobia becoming part of the South African way of life?", accessed September 18, 2020, https://issafrica.org/amp/iss-today/is-xenophobia-becoming-part-of-the-south-african-way-of-life#:~:text=The%20South%20African%20government%20mostly,life%2C%20like%20other%20violent%20crimes
House, Freedom. “South Africa: Authorities Must Improve Treatment of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, accessed July 12, 2020. https://freedomhouse.org/article/south-africa-authorities-must-improve-treatment-refugees-and-asylum-seekers
Marieke, Fröhlich, and Granados, Estefania Lopez. “Xenophobic violence and spatial inequality in South Africa”, accessed September 04, 2020. https://blog.prif.org/2019/10/08/xenophobic-violence-and-spatial-inequality-in-south-africa/
Bronwyn, Harris. "Xenophobia: A new pathology for a new South Africa." Psychopathology and social prejudice (2002): 169-184. https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/100580/xenophobia.pdf
Faith, Mabera. "The impact of xenophobia and xenophobic violence on South Africa’s developmental partnership agenda." Africa Review 9, no. 1 (2017): 28-42. https://doi.org/10.1080/09744053.2016.1239711
Brij, Maharaj. "Global migration perspectives. Immigration to postapartheid. Pietermaritzburg: University of KwaZulu Natal (2004).
Grace, Maina, Nonjabulo Mathonsi, Christy McConnell, and Genevieve Williams. "It’s not just xenophobia: Factors that lead to violent attacks on foreigners in South Africa and the role of the government, accessed November 22, 2020. https://www.accord.org.za/publication/its-not-just-xenophobia/
David, Mario Matsinhe. "Africa's Fear of Itself: the ideology of Makwerekwere in South Africa." Third World Quarterly 32, no. 2 (2011): 295-313. 10.1080/01436597.2011.560470
Champion, Masikane, Magda L. Hewitt, and Joyce Toendepi. "Dynamics informing xenophobia and leadership response in South Africa." Acta Commercii 20, no. 1 (2020): 1-11. https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v20i1.704.
Jean Pierre, Misago. "Responding to Xenophobic Violence in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Barking up the Wrong Tree?" African Human Mobility Review 2, no. 2 (2016): 443-467. http://www.xenowatch.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Responding_to_Xenophobic_Violence_in_Pos.pdf
Darlington, Mutanda. "Xenophobic violence in South Africa: Mirroring economic and political development failures in Africa." African Identities 15, no. 3 (2017): 278-294. https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2017.1291325
Zingisa, Mvumvu. ‘Legacy of apartheid a deeper reason’ for xenophobic attacks, Naledi Pandor says, accessed June, 13 2019, https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2019-09-09-legacy-of-apartheid-a-deeper-reason-for-xenophobic-attacks-naledi-pandor-says/
Laurence, Piper, and Andrew Charman. "Xenophobia, price competition and violence in the spaza sector in South Africa." African Human Mobility Review 2, no. 1 (2016): 332-362. https://sihma.org.za/journals/Piper-Charman.pdf
Hilary, Sapire. "Liberation movements, exile, and international solidarity: an introduction." Journal of Southern African Studies 35, no. 2 (2009): 271-286. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057070902919843
South African history online. ‘A history of Apartheid in South Africa”. Accessed 03 July 2020. https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/history-apartheid-south-africa#:~:text=Apartheid%20called%20for%20the%20separate,racial%20groups%20in%20South%20Africa.&text=Apartheid%20made%20laws%20forced%20the,social%20integration%20between%20racial%20groups.
South African News. “Read: Nelson Mandela's inauguration speech as President of SA”, accessed September 15, 2020. https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/read-nelson-mandelas-inauguration-speech-president-sa
Gabriel, Tati. "The immigration issues in the post-apartheid South Africa: Discourses, policies and social repercussions." Space populations societies. Space populations societies 2008/3 (2008): 423-440. https://doi.org/10.4000/eps.3496
Sibusiso, Tshabalala. "Why black South Africans are attacking foreign Africans but not foreign Whites.", accessed July 20, 2020. https://qz.com/384041/why-black-south-africans-are-only-attacking-foreign-africans-but-not-foreign-whites/
Nakayama, Yumi. "Multilateral migration governance in SADC countries." African Studies Center – Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan. Working Papers 2018 Development, Migration, and Resources in Africa (2019): 29-43.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mlambo, V.H., Mkhwanazi, A. (2021). Apartheid Segregation Laws as an Underlying Instigator of Xenophobia in Democratic South Africa: A Critical Reflection. In: Abidde, S.O., Matambo, E.K. (eds) Xenophobia, Nativism and Pan-Africanism in 21st Century Africa. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82056-5_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82056-5_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-82055-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-82056-5
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)