XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS ON RISE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 000644

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2018
TAGS: PGOV SF
SUBJECT: XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS ON RISE

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Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Donald Teitelbaum. Reasons 1.4(b) and
(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. Over the past month, South Africa has
experienced a spate of violent attacks against foreigners,
especially Zimbabweans living in informal settlements just
outside the capitol city of Pretoria. Xenophobia is not new
to South Africa, but has been growing over the past couple of
years, with many South Africans mistakenly believing that
foreigners are increasingly responsible for the high levels
of crime and unemployment among South Africans.
International organizations believe the problem is likely to
get worse before it gets better and that the SAG and civil
society need to act now to quell further violence. The SAG
has taken notice, but appears to be taken off-guard and
floundering in its response. END SUMMARY.

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XENOPHOBIC VIOLENCE INTENSIFIES NEAR CAPITOL
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2. (U) Over the past month, South Africa has experienced a
spate of particularly violent xenophobic attacks just outside
the capitol. Foreigners have been forced to flee informal
settlements in Phomolong, Jeffsville, Brazzaville,
Atteridgeville, Soshanguve, Mooiplaas, Itireleng, and
Siyahlala, where gangs of men armed with paraffin and petrol
bombs have been targeting them. According to Darshan
Vigneswaran, Wits University's forced migration study
programme coordinator, these are not isolated incidents, but
a national wave of xenophobic violence sweeping the country.


3. (C) Most of the violence has been directed at foreigners'
homes and businesses. In February, nearly 300 foreigners were
forced to flee when South African squatters from Itireleng
informal settlement attacked them, torching homes, a church,
and belongings in the process. Most recently, on 24 March,
two Zimbabweans and two South Africans (who police believe
were mistaken as foreigners) were viciously murdered in
Brazzaville, an informal settlement just outside Pretoria.
Press reports note that one Zimbabwean was dragged out of his
house, beaten to death, and then thrown into his own burning
house. PolAsst, who lives in the area, said the other
Zimbabwean was padlocked in his house, which was then set on
fire.


4. (C) Abel Mbiyini, UNHCR's Deputy Representative in South
Africa told PolOffs he accompanied the Minister of Home
Affairs to the site the day after and saw "Rwanda in 1994:
the burnt bodies hadn't even been removed." He also said
that he briefed a parliamentary committee (NFI) on 26 March
and told them that the events in Brazzaville "were not only
regrettable, but shameful." (COMMENT: Mbiyini comments
surprised PolOff since he has a reputation for usually being
overly optimistic or apologetic for the SAG. END COMMENT)
He has urged the SAG to remind South Africans that many of
them were in the same situation in exile only 15 years ago,
to order the South African Human Rights Commission to conduct
an inquiry, and encourage South African NGOs like the Islamic
Relief to come forward and speak out against xenophobia.

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SAG RESPONSE DISAPPOINTING
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5. (C) Hans-Petter Boe, International Organization for
Migration (IOM) Regional Representative for Southern Africa,
told PolOffs on 27 March that the problem is only going to
get worse with the constant influx of immigrants and the
South African media's tendency to overstate and
QSouth African media's tendency to overstate and
sensationalize crimes committed by foreigners. Boe said the
recent spate of attacks has finally attracted the attention
of high-level government officials, adding that he has
received calls this week from both Minister of Home Affairs
Mapisa-Nqakula and Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad looking
for help and advice. Another Ministry of Home Affairs
official called IOM earlier that morning looking for
emergency supplies for the temporary refugee center at
Matseke Primary School in Atteridgeville. Boe seemed
somewhat exasperated by this, saying they cannot do
everything. (NOTE: According to Mbiyini, the Ministry of
Home Affairs has to find a new shelter for these families by
31 March when school starts up again after Easter break. END
NOTE)


6. (C) The Minister of Home Affairs has strongly condemned
the attacks, warned that such behavior will not be tolerated,

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and called an indaba (townhall meeting) where government,
civil society, and religious leaders can come up with a
solution. However, she also has made excuses, calling South
Africa "a victim of its own success, attracting immigrants
from across the continent." COSATU also has publicly
condemned the attacks, but is laying blame on the former
apartheid regime for destroying the economic infrastructure
of neighboring countries. Tshwane Executive Mayor Gwen
Ramokgopa also has gone out to Brazzaville to urge people to
be calm, but according to PolAsst, only the victims are
showing up to hear her speak. Local councillors have yet to
call any type of town hall meeting to discuss the events.
Perhaps most disappointing has been Home Affairs Director
General Mavuso Msimang's statement on 27 March that it is not
the responsibility of the Department of Home Affairs to
protect foreigners. Those stranded at the elementary school
in Atteridgeville were told today that South Africa will help
them go back to their home country or relocate them, but that
they cannot go back to their homes in the informal
settlements since the SAG will not be able to guarantee their
security.

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ROOTS OF XENOPHOBIA
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7. (C) Boe believes the problem is only going to intensify
with the constant influx of immigrants and the South African
media's tendency to overstate and sensationalize crimes
committed by foreigners. Duncan Breen, advocacy officer for
Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa, said
publicly, "there is competition for (employment) and and the
perception that all foreigners commit crime. If the
government does not act now, the attacks will continue.
There have been warning signs where members of the community
have distributed pamphlets telling people that foreigners are
bad. That was when we needed to act," he said. UNHCR also
confirmed to PolOffs that foreigners in Shoshanguve are
receiving threatening letters ordering them to quit their
jobs. South Africa's Institute on Race Relations deputy
chief executive Frans Cronje also said publicly that in
addition to the perception that foreigners are taking jobs,
many believe foreigners are now "taking" South African women
as girlfriends. PolAsst reminded PolOff that this attitude
is not new, recalling that it was not acceptable for women to
date anyone from another township not that long ago; "she
belonged to the township," he said.

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FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH
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8. (C) PolAsst visited the affected areas outside Pretoria on
28 March and spoke to local councillors, policemen, and
residents from the area. As of the night of 27 March,
violence was ongoing, with at least one additional house
burnt and six more houses of foreigners' looted. The
xenophobic motive remains, he said, but the perpetrators have
changed faces. He explained that the violence was initially
instigated by South Africans who cite crime and jealousy as
motives, but added resentment that foreigners are willing to
work for less or sell things (soda, brooms, soap, etc) out of
their houses in the informal settlement -- which are most
likely frequented by South Africans as well since most
informal settlements are mixed -- for less than people would
pay in a shop in town owned by a South African who probably
lives in a township. Over the past two days, however, the
tsotsis (thugs),not the better off South Africans, are

SIPDIS
Qtsotsis (thugs),not the better off South Africans, are
targeting foreigners they know have valuables out of their
homes and then stealing everything. One policemen told
PolAsst that the thieves are actually walking away with TVs
and refrigerators, which they will probably sell later. Thus
far, 23 people have been arrested, though the police said
most of them are tsotsis.

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COMMENT
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9. (C) Xenophobia is not new to South Africa, and has been a
growing trend over the past several years, which the SAG and
ANC have largely ignored until now. Though Zimbabweans were
mostly targeted this week, other immigrants, especially
Somalis, Mozambicans, and Nigerians are also frequently
victims. As is the case in many countries, this fear and
hatred of foreigners appears based more on perception and
propaganda than reality, especially since foreigners are not

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responsible for the majority of crimes committed in this
country. Moreover, disenchanted South Africans are blaming
those who are most likely in their same predicament and are
not responsible for the country's high unemployment rates and
poor service delivery.
TEITELBAUM