Local leaders 'incited xenophobia'

2009-03-11 21:36

Johannesburg - The xenophobic violence in May 2008 was organised by "community leaders", a university researcher said on Wednesday.

"The community leaders - the street committees, the comrades, the CPF (Community Policing Forum) as the are called - are involved.

"They were the ones who were organising the attacks," said Jeanne Pierre Misago, a researcher at the Wits University Forced Migration Studies Programme.

"The idea that it was caused by a faceless crowd doesn't hold water because there are individuals we can identify in the township," said Misago.

Misago identified Madala hostel in Alexandra Township as a place where xenophobic attacks were planned.

"It is common knowledge that leaders organised in this hostel. Police are aware, [they say] that 'we knew this was taking place but we do not interfere'."

He said local leaders organised xenophobic attacks to improve their credibility within the community.

"They can then say they are the one true leader of the community," said Misago.

Misago was addressing a conference as part of a panel at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg about the findings of a report on the xenophobic attacks which was published by the International Organisation for Movement.

He was one of the authors of the report, "Towards Tolerance, Law, and Dignity: Addressing Violence against Foreign Nationals in South Africa".

According to the report, "Community leadership is an attractive alternative for the largely unemployed residents of the informal settlements. It is indeed a form of paid employment or an income-generating activity."

The report read that it was "common practice" for community leaders to "levy protection fees", sell or rent shacks, land and RDP houses and take bribes.

'Lucrative business'

The report added that community leadership is then perceived as a "lucrative business" where different people compete for credibility.

"Community leadership is up for grabs," said Misago.

Because many shops and spazas are owned by foreigners, local business people also engage in organising xenophobic violence.

The report cited examples, even before the May violence, where it is believed South Africans planned violence against business competitors who were foreigners, particularly Somalis.

Misago added that the violence "was locally organised but also with some co-ordination with neighbouring townships".

According to Misago, media reports also played a role in spreading the violence.

He said that, by reporting on the successful looting by mobs of shops owned by foreigners and the inability of police to cope with the situation, other potential perpetrators of violence believed they could act with impunity.

During the conference, law enforcement also came under scrutiny.

Slow police response

"Slow police response helped this. These people thought they could get away with it," said Misago.

"One of the key points was the justice system has to work. There has to be a publicly visible pursuit and prosecution of the perpetrators of the violence as examples," said the regional representative of IOM Hans Petter Boe who was also part of the panel.

But few, if any, perpetrators of the violence were ever brought to book.

The report cites instances where rioters and looters who had been arrested were, after the situation calmed, simply released with a warning.

In at least one case, police released offenders after community members protested outside of the police station.

"People toyi-toyi'd to get them released and were advised to do so by their [ward] councillors," said Misago.

The Human Rights Commission programme co-ordinator on migration and non-nationals, Joyce Tlou said that the May xenophobic violence was evidence that "we (the HRC) have somehow failed in our mandate" to protect the human rights of people living in South Africa.

"We as a nation hang our heads in shame," said Tlou.

But she added that the responsibility for the organising of a larger strategy to counter xenophobia was that of the government.

Lack of strategy

"Primary responsibility for the protection of people, whether its citizens or non-nationals, rests with the government," said Tlou.

Home Affairs Director General of Immigration Services Jackie MacKay acknowledged that there was a lack of strategy.

"I don't think there is a comprehensive, integrated strategy," said MacKay.

But MacKay later added that what happened to foreigners outside of their getting permits was not the problem of Home Affairs.

Some on the panel were concerned that the xenophobic violence of May could be repeated.

"We didn't see any signs of preparation [for potential xenophobic violence] for the future," said Misago.

"Police think they were effective."

There was also little hope that politicians would become involved, at least before the April elections.

"Politicians have nothing to gain by protecting unwanted foreigners in society," said Misago.

- SAPA