An unabating challenge: Media portrayal of xenophobia in South Africa

Abstract

Xenophobia is a phenomenon currently permeating migration discourses worldwide. Whilst there has been growing scholarly attention in the Global North, the causes, nature and magnitude of xenophobia in countries the Global South remains underrepresented in the literature. After the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa became an attractive destination for Africans from numerous countries in the continent (Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Somalia and Zimbabwe). Indeed xenophobic violence in major cities of South Africa has become a regular feature since the first major incident in 2008. This study unpacks the narratives in the media portrayal of the recent outbreaks of afrophobia in South Africa. The authors focused on online-published articles of South African media in one month (September 2019). A content analysis of online-published articles which were sampled from a google search yielded a number of narratives. The study established that the violent attacks on foreigners in South Africa were portrayed as afrophobia. Afrophobia entails the stereotyping and hatred of foreigners from other parts of Africa and portraying them as criminals. The findings also established that there was denialism and government’s (in) action which has contributed to xenophobia being perceived as an unabating challenge. It was also noted that the instigators have contributed to the recurring outbreaks of violence in South Africa leading to reputational damage for the nation of South Africa.