Victimology

VICTIMOLOGY – CMY3705

DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY AND SECURITY SCIENCE XENOPHOBIA AS A HATE CRIME IN SOUTH AFRICA Lecturer : Dr M Barkhuizen

Date : 04 April 2015

Name : Ms JP White Student Number : 31532403 Unique Number : 598933

Table of Contents
Page Introduction Xenophobia as a hate crime The impact of xenophobia on victims Xenophobic attacks remembered Conclusion Bibliography 2 2 3 4 6 7

Introduction South Africa has a long history of prejudice and discrimination. One of the major legacies of apartheid is that of intolerance towards ‘difference’ - be it in terms of race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation or other such factors. Xenophobia is one of our major issues within our communities. Most dictionaries describe “xenophobia” as “hatred or fear of foreigners”, combining the Greek words xenos (foreign) with phobos (fear). In South Africa, we’ve come to understand it as the often violent dislike of foreign nationals, known as the “makwerekwere”. Xenophobic attacks are not a new phenomenon in South Africa, these attacks started even before 2008 attacks that rocked the nation and the international community. Unfortunately, violence is not restricted to the so-called xenophobic hotspots where localised competition for political and economic power is a trigger for violence. It is not unique to townships such as Diepsloot and Sebokeng. In fact this form of violence had spread across all parts of South Africa killing over 60 people, leaving hundreds seriously injured and over a thousand displaced. As the world watched in shock and dismay, in Johannesburg the Central Methodist Church opened its doors to thousands of displaced foreigners and has been providing them with housing since the 2008 xenophobic attacks. There are many such stories of displaced and injured victims of xenophobia.

Xenophobia as a hate crime In May 2008, thousands of migrants were displaced due to mass looting and destruction of foreign owned homes, and businesses across...