TO LEAVE OR TO DIE? REFUGEES PROTECTION IN SOUTH AFRICA IN THE FACE OF XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS

Abstract

Every story is about a past event, experience, or perhaps life’s ambition. However, finding safety, tolerance and protection of fundamental human rights is of paramount importance to a refugee in South Africa. The wave of xenophobic attacks that broke out in various part of South Africa over the past years caught most people unaware. In fact, we are still finding it difficult to come into a reality that this happened in a country which is worldwide considered to be a role model of reconciliation. At the end of apartheid in South Africa, we expected peace, stability and respect for human rights to reign and it did for a while until xenophobic attacks began and since then at least 15 xenophobic attacks has occurred with mainly African immigrants been the casualties. A lot has been said and written on the issue of xenophobia in South Africa but not enough has been written on how to curb these inhuman practices and how refugees in South Africa should be protected in the wake of these attacks. This paper explored the explanations, nature and practices of xenophobic attacks in South Africa. It further explored the status and protection of refugees in South Africa in the face of these xenophobic attacks. Some recommendations on how to curb these xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals especially refugees in South Africa are also outlined.