Who鈥檚 the alien?: Xenophobia in post-apartheid South Africa
Abstract
In May 2008, South Africa became the theatre of widespread violent attacks against undesirable 鈥榦utsiders鈥�. Over 60 were killed, hundreds wounded, and tens of thousands displaced. This analysis aims at identifying the characteristics of the victims in an attempt to portray the 鈥榓lien鈥� using household data collected in February 2009 in the Johannesburg inner city and in Alexandra township. Results con铿乺m that foreigners face a higher probability of being victimized on the ground of xenophobia. Relative poverty appears to have a positive impact on the probability of being attacked, especially in Alexandra township. Zimbabweans do also face a lower chance of victimization than other foreign nationals. Finally, the characteristics of the location, in particular high unemployment rate, influence the probability of attacks.
Citation
Anon. Who’s the alien?: Xenophobia in post-apartheid South Africa. UNU-WIDER, Helsinki, Finland (2013) 35 pp. ISBN 978-92-9230580-2 [WIDER Working Paper No. 2013/003]