Violence Flares in South Africa (update 1)

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Violence Flares in South Africa (update 1)

South African President Thabo Mbeki sent army troops yesterday to quell anti-immigration violence around Johannesburg.

ECONOMIC FRUSTRATION: Riots in the poverty-ridden sections of Johannesburg, South Africa, continued for the 11th day. President Thabo Mbeki has authorized the army to enter the area to stop violence against foreigners.

by Laura Major
Informify Staff Writer
May 23, 2008

Although immigrants from Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique are the main targets, the attacks are spreading to include Chinese and Pakistanis. Violence also has spread to the coastal city of Durban and the province of Mpumalanga.

South Africa Unrest: Quick Facts

Duration:	11 days
Number Killed:	42
Number Arrested:	400
Number Displaced:	16,000

Army to Assist South African Police

Soldiers backing up the police entered three squatter camps Thursday morning in efforts to stop the violence. According to Gen. Kwena Mangope, spokesman for defense forces, the army is not assuming command. "Whenever the South African police require our support they will inform us through the command channels and we will deploy whenever they need us," he told AFP. (AFP, 5/22/08).

Because Johannesburg's economy increasingly relies on tourism, business leaders are concerned that continued unrest will encourage potential visitors to choose other destinations. Particularly disconcerting is the return of the practice of "necklacing"—putting a car tire full of gasoline around a victim's neck and setting it on fire.

Causes for Unrest Debated

Politicians, business people and social theorists offer the following opinions about the origins of the violence:

inadequate housing
lack of running water
lack of electricity
rising price of food
escalating crime
government's refusal to admit there's a crisis in neighboring Zimbabwe
xenophobia (fear and/or hatred of foreigners)

Original Story

Violence Flares in South Africa

Sources

South Africa counts cost of township slayings (CNN,5/22/08)

South African army called in on anti-foreigner violence (Associated Press, 5/22/08)

Scarcity sets fire to SA's xenophobic tinderbox (Business Day, 5/22/08)

South Africa army mobilises to quell mob violence (AFP, 5/22/08)

Question for Readers:

Do you think the anti-immigrant violence in South Africa is caused by racism or economics?

Unrest Spreading to Durban and Mpumalanga

"What is needed urgently is clear and co-ordinated action to stop the violence in the short term and serious efforts at mediating the situation. In the long term, only education of those who resort to such actions can address the context that has allowed the current violence to proliferate."