Xenophobia in South Africa

Prior to 1994, immigrants from elsewhere faced discrimination and even violence in South Africa due to competition for scarce economic opportunities. After majority rule in 1994, contrary to expectations, the incidence of xenophobia increased.[1] In 2008, at least 62 people were killed in the xenophobic uprising and attacks. [2] In 2015, another nationwide spike in xenophobic attacks against immigrants in general prompted a number of foreign governments to begin repatriating their citizens.[3] A Pew Research poll conducted in 2018 showed that 62% of South Africans expressed negative sentiment about foreign nationals living and working in South Africa, believing that immigrants are a burden on society by taking jobs and social benefits and that 61% of South Africans thought that immigrants were more responsible for crime than other groups.[4] There is no factual evidence to substantiate the notion that immigrants are the main culprits of criminal activity in South Africa, even though the claim is incorrectly made in sometimes by politicians and public figures.[5] Between 2010 and 2017 the number of foreigners living in South Africa increased from 2 million people to 4 million people.[4] The proportion of South Africa's total population that is foreign born increased from 2.8% in 2005 to 7% in 2019, according to the United Nations International Organization for Migration,[6][7] South Africa is the largest recipient of immigrants on the African continent.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ReferenceA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "South Africa: Events of 2008". World Report 2009. Human Rights Watch. 14 January 2009.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Afssawvf was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Tamir, Christine; Budiman (3 May 2019). "In South Africa, racial divisions and pessimism about democracy loom over elections". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  5. ^ Cosser, Kirsten (4 May 2023). "Putting old claims to bed: no evidence undocumented immigrants 'contribute massively' to crime and 'nothing' to South Africa's economy". Africa Check. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  6. ^ "WORLD MIGRATION REPORT 2020" (PDF). International Organization for Migration. United Nations. 2019. p. 56 & 57. ISSN 1561-5502. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Xenophobia isn't keeping immigrants out of SA – here are the latest, if contentious, numbers". BusinessInsider. Retrieved 17 February 2020.

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