‘Xenophobia’: Violence against Foreign Nationals and other ‘Outsiders’ in Contemporary South Africa (original) (raw)

Violence against foreign nationals in South Africa is predominantly a consequence of localized competition for political and economic power, rather than economic or social factors alone. Areas with high economic deprivation, significant male populations, and language diversity see higher occurrences of violence, often fueled by local leaders seeking to consolidate power. Notably, the paper asserts that xenophobia serves more as a resource for economic and political actors than a primary cause of violence, suggesting broader governance failures rather than isolated socio-economic issues. Implications indicate the need for concerted efforts to address local governance accountability to mitigate such violence in the future.