Research Professor at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Femi Otubanjo, has described xenophobic attacks in South Africa as a mob response to worsening socioeconomic pressures, warning that the situation has escalated because authorities failed to act decisively against previous attacks.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on ARISE News, Otubanjo said the violence was being driven largely by vigilante groups who blame foreign nationals for unemployment, crime and social problems in the country.
“I’m sure that the greater problem, the greater blame is on the people, the vigilante people,” he said.
According to him, “This is a situation of a mob reaction to socioeconomic problems. And unfortunately, when the mob instinct is unleashed, it’s almost very difficult to contain.”
Otubanjo said many ordinary South Africans believed undocumented migrants from African countries, including Nigeria, were taking jobs and opportunities away from citizens.
“We have a situation in which the ordinary South Africans feel cheated by undocumented workers, mostly from black African countries, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Angola, and of course, Nigeria,” he said.
He argued that the South African government’s response to previous incidents had been weak and had contributed to the worsening situation.
“Unfortunately, the government has been very soft on previous xenophobic attacks. I don’t think anybody, we don’t have any record that anybody was prosecuted. So in that sense, you are correct to talk about the government being complicit.”
Otubanjo added that the apparent failure of security agencies to intervene during attacks had reinforced perceptions of official indifference.
“The picture we get is that policemen just stand by and do not do anything when they see such violent attacks,” he said.
He noted that resentment towards foreigners extended beyond economic concerns.
“They are blaming foreigners for jobs that the foreigners are doing, that the foreigners are taking their jobs. They are blaming people for bringing crime. Particularly they are blaming Nigerians for drugs and prostitution.”
“But the bottom line is that they just see a different sociocultural behaviour on the part of foreigners.”
He maintained that the lack of punishment for perpetrators had emboldened anti-immigrant groups and allowed the violence to spread.
“So it’s a cumulative thing. It’s a mob thing. The government has not done much to control it. It has not shown enough examples that by attacking foreigners you can go to jail. And therefore, the thing has escalated. It’s exploded.”
He added: “We needed law enforcement. We needed stronger measures, stronger deterrence. But none has come. And therefore, the people have been emboldened.”
“The movement has moved, has expanded to all more cities and more communities,” Otubanjo said.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
