December 5, 2024
Anti-immigrant attacks inflame South African election
Some people among hundreds of foreign nationals take refuge at a park soon after foreign nationals were displaced during xenophobic attacks in Durban, South Africa, on March 27, 2019 following violence against immigrants and other foreigners.
Some people among hundreds of foreign nationals take refuge at a park soon after foreign nationals were displaced during xenophobic attacks in Durban, South Africa, on March 27, 2019 following violence against immigrants and other foreigners.

Up and down the streets of South Africa’s biggest cities, the campaign posters of the main opposition party are trumpeting a simple slogan: “Secure our borders.”

The Democratic Alliance has seized on illegal immigration as one of its top issues in Wednesday’s national election. Its campaign platform complains of “uncontrolled immigration [that] violates the rights of ordinary South Africans.“ And it has called for military forces to be deployed to the country’s borders.

The governing African National Congress has taken a similar stand, accusing undocumented immigrants of fuelling crime. Its election manifesto promises “tough measures” against any law-breaking immigrants or illegal foreign traders.

After years of economic stagnation and high unemployment in South Africa, immigrants have become targets in this election. Politicians have been quick to exploit the growing anti-foreigner mood, which has become more toxic in South Africa than in many other countries.

The ANC, which is expected to win 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the vote in Wednesday’s election, has found the illegal immigration issue a useful diversion from the slumping economy and persistent corruption scandals. The opposition DA has found it an equally useful weapon to wield against the government.

A recently released poll by Pew Research Centre found that 62 per cent of South Africans see immigrants as a burden on the country by taking jobs and social benefits away from local people. That’s a much higher percentage than in most European countries, and more than twice as high as the percentage of Canadians who see immigrants as a burden, according to the global survey by Pew Research. (The margin of error is 2.3 percentage points.)

In reality, evidence shows that immigrants are a benefit to South Africa’s economy. A study last year by several groups, including the International Labour Organization, concluded that immigrants in South Africa pay higher taxes and boost the country’s per-capita income by up to 5 per cent by improving productivity.

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