Lack of jobs blamed for race-related attacks in South Africa

I have found this article (a transcription) after I learned attack on Somali immigrants in South Africa is going on for quite awhile, I was shocked to learn that some ignorant black South Africans do to Somalis what white South Africans did to them prior to the first inclusive election which brought my hero Mandela to power in 1994. First I heard it on NPR which was an eye opener now I am searching more to know about this horrifying trend.


MARK COLVIN: A spate of race-related attacks and murders in South Africa has been blamed on black South Africans attacking black foreigners.

The country has one of Africa's fastest growing economies, and it's attracting refugees from war and poverty all over the continent.

But despite their own history of struggle against racism, many black South Africans resent the newcomers who take jobs from locals.

Africa Correspondent Zoe Daniel reports from Johannesburg.

ZOE DANIEL: In the townships around Cape Town it's claimed that 28 Somalian refugees have been murdered in the last two months.

In Johannesburg, squatter camps, shops owned by Somalis have been burnt to the ground.

It's believed that the perpetrators are black South Africans who resent the Somalian refugees, who've fled conflict and have been granted asylum.

SADIK SABDULAI (phonetic): There's some words that they use to differentiate the colours, (speaks in African dialect) is like a language dialect, but it basically means an alien. There's now a special word, it's actually a word that tries to make you inferior.

ZOE DANIEL: Sadik Sabdulai is a young man who's been living in South Africa for two years. He fled from Somalia's war torn capital, Mogadishu, due to anarchy and civil war, which continues to rage.

He says he had no choice but to come here, but he didn't find the security that he was looking for.

SADIK SABDULAI: Militias just came to the house looking for me, maybe simply to loot or whatever. I really cannot say what their motive was at that particular time, and they asked my mother for money. She could not afford anything. They took whatever they like and they just shot her on the spot. Then later on I just decided to flee.

ZOE DANIEL: So when you decided to come to South Africa, what did you expect to find?

SADIK SABDULAI: Okay, in South Africa I expected to find most important thing was safety, 'cause I flee basically because I was afraid for my life.

So I basically came to this country, maybe I can get that right of security to live. To (inaudible) since I been in this country I didn't get what I was expecting. Xenophobia is rife in this country.

ZOE DANIEL: Sadik Sabdulai and his friends say they've been repeatedly attacked and beaten by black South Africans.

Zimbabweans also complain that they're being vilified by locals, and Nigerians and Congolese are routinely blamed by South Africans for crime.

Tseliso Thipanyane, Chief Executive of the country's Human Rights Commission, says foreigners attract anger, because there's a perception that they'll work for less than local people, and that they're taking jobs in a community where almost half the people are unemployed.

TSELISO THIPANYANE: You'd expect that black South Africans in particular would be more welcoming due to the support which, you know, we received from, you know, our brothers and sisters during the struggle.

But on the other hand, of course, the problem is also a competition for resources. Our brothers and sisters from outside the country in the continent will be more willing, I mean more ready to accept low salary.

ZOE DANIEL: South African Patrick Salawa (phonetic) agrees.

PATRICK SALAWA: The foreigners, they cause unemployment, right. We're facing the very big challenge of giving our people a job, but due to the overpopulations from their country to South Africa, it costs us. They work for a little bit of money. Peanuts we call it, peanuts.

ZOE DANIEL: He lives in the Alexandra Squatter Camp in Johannesburg, and he says he's been attacked by foreigners who were living in South Africa as refugees. On that basis he says retaliation is to be expected.

PATRICK SALAWA: That violence is justified. Talking from experience, I've been attacked personally. Three Zimbabweans, and we don't know where they are now.

Another thing, they're filthy, the filthy situation in the country, they don't care. You can go to Alexandra, they just build the shack all over the place, because it's not their country. They don't care.

ZOE DANIEL: But refugees like Sadik Sabdulai feel helpless.

SADIK SABDULAI: It's terrible. It's terrible, because it's like I'm being pushed to the wall. I can't fight back.

ZOE DANIEL: And the problem is, they can't go home.

In Johannesburg, this is Zoe Daniel reporting for PM.