Abstract
Abstract : The 2008 xenophobic attacks made international and local headlines, creating an interest in issues pertaining to the causes and prevention of xenophobia. However, research done after the 2008 attacks has not curbed violence against foreigners as can be seen through a series of violent outburst against foreigners in 2015 and in 2018. Violent xenophobic practices by South Africans targeted against foreign spaza shop owners are underrepresented in the literature on xenophobic violence and locals are excluded from these narratives. In response to this problem, the study provides insight into how Soweto residents made sense of the January 2015 violent xenophobic attacks against the foreign shop owners. The township of Dobsonville in Soweto was chosen for this investigation as it is one of the townships which recorded violence against foreign spaza shop owners during the 2015 attacks. The researcher conducted ten semi-structured interviews with witnesses of the violence in Dobsonville who were chosen as the target population for this study as research done on xenophobic violence has mainly concentrated on the views of foreigners or perpetrators of violence whilst neglecting other segments of the population who might not actively participate in violent attacks. The gender and age spread of the participants allow for different perspectives into violence against foreign spaza shop owners. The witnesses’ biographical information and real-life accounts are treated with respect and confidentiality throughout the research study. The study has found that the witnesses’ of the 2015 attacks believe that the success of foreign spaza shops is the cause of violence between locals and foreigners. The witnesses also believe that crime is a motivator for the attacks. Drawing on these perceptions, the study concludes that xenophobic violence against foreign spaza shop owners is based on a myriad of issues including unemployment, crime and xenophobic attitudes. The study also determines that Somali shop owners are normally the casualties of these attacks, due to their dominance in this sector, rather than being selectively targeted. The study recommends rigorous government efforts to formalise the informal sector, particularly where spaza shops are concerned. This includes conducting regular inspections to ensure that counterfeit goods are not sold in these stores. It is hoped that Soweto residents’ perceptions will contribute significantly to the development of economic and social interventions, aimed at supporting the growth of the township informal economy while protecting and assisting foreign-owned outlets. Overall, the findings of this study significantly contribute to the existing body of knowledge regarding violence and xenophobia in South African urban settlements.
M.A. (Sociology)