Abstract
This study examines the xenophobic attacks on foreign migrants, using Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa as case study. It also looks at implications of xenophobia on governance and government policy on immigration. The study was guided by two objectives that is, factors influencing xenophobia in South Africa and the reasons xenophobia is recurrent.
The framework for the study is scapegoating theory, which was used to define and expand on the concept of xenophobia. This is a qualitative study, which examined secondary sources, specifically those of writers who have written intensively on the xenophobic phenomenon in South Africa. The data generated was analysed using detailed content analysis.
The findings of the study showed that indeed xenophobic attacks are a reality in South Africa and it is chronic. Since 1994, post democracy, foreigners have been harassed, attacked, and murdered in South Africa. The people who have been involved in those attacks are mainly people from the previously disadvantaged communities. They accuse foreign migrants of committing crime, taking jobs, taking their resources, making their areas of residence dirty and many other ill things. It found out that poor service delivery was normally an issue that triggered these attacks. Instead of blaming government and its institutions, indigenous people living in poor conditions tend to blame their fellow black foreign brothers and sisters from the continent for the failure of expected services. Zimbabweans due to their proximity to South Africa and their socio-economic problems which have driven them in big numbers to the country tend to be the major victims of the attacks. Government response and community leaders are blamed for the constant recurrence of xenophobic attacks because of their utterances and their denial of existence of xenophobia. The South African government has adopted the position that criminal elements should be blamed. These attacks have created a negative image and reputation for South Africa among countries in the continent.