Definition: Xenophobia: dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.
Xenophobic attacks against foreigners have begun in South Africa.
Videos doing round on the internet and in social media platforms shows foreigners being attacked. The locals accuse foreigners of taking their jobs.
South Africa has had issue with xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals for along time, some going back before their independence in 1994. In fact the independence nearly plunged the country into a civil war.
Recent xenophobic attacks occurred in 2008, 2015 and 2016.
Zambia, a neighboring country issued warning to its nationals, saying ‘it is imperative to raise immediate alarm as soon as credible information is received on such attacks to help prevent and stem further loss of properties and life’.
The Kenyan government, the lame-duck one (looters and grabbers), has not issued any statements concerning the same.
The recent spate of violence targets shop owners and it comes barely after the South African government launched a a national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and ethnic intolerance.
At least two protesters were shot dead after one of the affected shop owners opened fire during the melee.
In a related incident, a protester died after falling off a roof of a shop, which was being looted.
