Govt improves xenophobia response

2010-08-06 14:36

Johannesburg - Government has improved its response to xenophobic violence even while claiming that it does not exist, a researcher said in Johannesburg on Friday.

"I think there's a denialism in government, but I think they are policing it much smarter," said Gauteng City regional observatory executive director David Everatt.

"It's much smarter in that the police are moving in as soon as something happens."

Everatt said that the strength of local political parties and civil society organisations had been key in preventing xenophobic violence.

He said that some of the violence in 2008 had happened in the context of ANC branches being divided over national leadership battles.

He was speaking at a briefing on a new study, "SA civil society and xenophobia".

- SAPA