Reflections of the Hidden Face of Xenophobia
1. In
my view xenophobia presents itself in many ways- only one of which usually
draws the attention of the media and of state officials. This is the overt
violence and looting which we have seen over the past two weeks, resulting in
serious injury and death, and making headlines all over the world, which then
galvanizes some level of action on the part of the governmental and non-governmental
sector.
2. The
hidden face of xenophobia, on the other hand, shows itself mainly to women and
children in
·
The intimacy of their living spaces- perpetrated
mainly in the forms of ongoing threats by SA neighbours and co-tenants
·
In schools- perpetrated both teachers and
learners, but also more subtly in the adoption of (illegal) exclusionary
practices
·
In health care facilities in which medical and
clerical staff refuse to treat foreigners, often openly utter xenophobic
threats, and/or make access to health care impossible by (illegally) charging
huge amounts of money
·
The social media through which un-confirmed
rumours and threats are spread like wildfire, seemingly planned and intended to
frighten foreign nationals into either complete resignation and paralysis or a
determination to leave- in effect, this is “murder by whatsapp”.
·
The harassment of women informal traders by both
the metro police and SA customers
3. Women
and children are particularly vulnerable to this hidden face of xenophobia
because they have already been multiply traumatized by violence in their home
countries as well as in South Africa. The exposure to repeated and/or ongoing
trauma has a cumulative effect on cognitive functioning and when subjected to
threats (even if these are never carried out) a cognitive and emotional
paralysis sets in which then makes it impossible for victims to rationally
assess threats and explore reasonable ways of protecting themselves. We see
this especially in women and children who were victims of the 2008 xenophobic
violence. When confronted with the
current violence and threats these mothers and their children lose all sense of
agency, and feel that they have no option but to wait for death by gunshot,
fire or knife.
4. Most
of the families we work with in the inner city are headed by single mothers
whose only source of income is some kind of informal trading, mainly in the
CBD. The xenophobic violence and the continuing threats of further violence
result in women not feeling safe to continue trading and thereby losing the
only source of income that secures the roof over the head- a roof which already
shelters far too many people who cannot afford the rent for accommodation that
provides them with at least a measure of dignity and protection. We expect that
by the end of this month many more families will be homeless and very hungry as
a direct result of xenophobic violence and threats.
5. Xenophobic
attitudes, threats and exclusionary practices in schools and health care
facilities in effect remove the only (constitutionally mandated) spaces in
which women and children can expect safety, protection and care. This means
that women don’t get treated for manageable conditions such as diabetes for
hypertension and that children’s progress at school is severely jeopardized. We
have seen children being orphaned by conditions which could easily have been
managed, and our high school learners tell us that if they miss an exam because
of the violence on the streets in their homes, they are simply failed.
6. These
are just some of the effects of the hidden face of xenophobia. Each one of them
obviously has serious long-term implications for the physical and emotional
well-being of women and children in all spheres of life, and therefore the
progress and well-being of our country, our continent and our world.
7. We
therefore appeal to all South Africans who are genuinely committed to social
justice and the fight against xenophobia to look the hidden face of xenophobia
straight into the eye, and to declare with their actions- here, too, in these
intimate spaces of home, school, pavement trading, and health care, we shall
uproot you, never to show yourself again.
Johanna Kistner
23 April 2015
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