Victimisation of African Foreign Nationals in Durban, South Africa

Shanta  Balgobind Singh

doi:10.6000/1929-4409.2020.09.65

Authors

Shanta Balgobind Singh Department of Criminology & Forensic Studies, School of Applied Human Sciences, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Republic of South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2020.09.65

Keywords:

Victimisation, South Africa, Migrants, Foreign Nationals, Discrimination., Victimisation, South Africa, Migrants, Foreign Nationals, Discrimination.

Abstract

Media reports of the continued violence and discrimination experienced by African Foreign Nationals¹ in South Africa have brought into the forefront victimisation of this sector, despite pledges by the government and law enforcement agencies to put a stop to it. This is also linked to current social milieu debates taking place within international trends on migration. Studies and evidence have shown that although the attitudes towards foreign nationals vary across South Africa's socio-economic and ethnic spectrum, foreigners who live and work in South Africa do face discrimination by citizens, some government officials, members of the police, and by private organisations who are contracted to manage their detention and deportation. This research, with a qualitative approach, explores the persistent issues that threaten African Foreign Nationals. Fifty participants were selected through a purposive sampling technique. The main aim of this research was to examine the issues that threatened the safety and security of African Foreign Nationals in Durban, South Africa. It was found that offences such as physical assault (i.e. Grievous Bodily Harm - GBH), arson, rape, verbal abuse, house robberies, property damage as well as discrimination were serious crimes perpetrated against African Foreign Nationals which was often characterised by xenophobic violent attacks against them.

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