#TheBestDrive Vote of Confidence: Why Are South Africans xenophobic?

ICYMI: The Best Drive tackled a difficult conversation; why South Africans are xenophobic. This following the xenophobic turmoil in South Africa, which included a twar between artists’ AKA and Burna Boy.

Between 2010 and 2017 it is reported that the immigrant community in South Africa grew from 2 million people to 4 million. A research poll was conducted by Pew Research in 2018. The poll revealed that 62% of South Africans viewed immigrants as a burden on society by “taking jobs and social benefits.” In the same poll, 61% of South Africans believed that immigrants were more responsible for crime than other groups.

In the past, notably in 2005; 2008; 2015 and 2019, groups of South Africans have taken to the streets to commit xenophobic attacks. These attacks claimed many lives and left many injured. The Best Drive sat down with YFM senior reporter, Nkosazana Dambuza, for Vote of Confidence to discuss these as well as get to the root of why South Africans are xenophobic.

Dambuza said that one of the reasons she believed South Africans are xenophobic was:

“…we don’t visit other African countries as much as we should, we truly don’t know what it’s like to be in other parts of the continent.”

Dambuza believes that South Africans do not understand immigration laws nor the rights of foreign nationals. She called on the government to step up and educate the country about our immigration laws. She stated,

“The government needs to find ways to teach or educate South Africans, as well as immigrants, on immigrations laws.”

You can listen to the full Vote of Confidence conversation here: