South Africa, May 2008 WHY? Xenophobic Attacks

In May of 2008, a wave of violence fueled by hate, misunderstanding, and misplaced aggression erupted across South Africa within poverty-stricken areas in predominately black townships.

The xenophobic fears and threats of more violence from some of the poorest of South African citizens today continues to be fueled by a collision of severe economic problems, inequality, the legacy of Apartheid, and a lack of attention to real solutions by the South African government.

What can end this aggression driven by hatred against the poorest of immigrants by some of the poorest of their South African neighbors? How did it come to this? Even if the aggressors wrongly believe that their non-native neighbors are the reason for their poverty and current economic state, what makes one human being beat and kill another that has committed no crime against them or their country?

The deaths of many and the uncertain future of thousands of immigrants from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, and Mozambique hang in the balance as the South African government and the people of this nation decide what to do next.


About the soundtrack:
Melodies, rhythmic constructs from voices drive the composition of tempo and harmonic structures in this piece - listen to the melodies and rhythms of the voices as they tell the story . . .

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• south
• africa
• fire
• hate
• xenophobia
• xenophobic
• violence
• immigrant
• immigration
• crime
• townships
• attacks
• South
• Africa
• WHY?
• foreigner
• burning
• johannesburg
• May
• 2008

[AustralianWild]

its very simple when the chips are down - dogs eat each other - nature will win over political nurture - multiculturalism may work here and there but when danger and desperation - including economic desperation comes in, we naturally look after ourselves and our own - multiculturalism can bring crime and civil war (FACT)

[brianmcd28]

This piece used commentary from all the viewpoints that were in the news at the time. This video is not a viewpoint in itself, all are welcome to leave their thoughts. The "legacy of apartheid" was just one viewpoint of many, if anyone takes issue with it, they are are free to argue their viewpoint! Great thing about music, art / video is that interpretations come through the filters of the individual that views them.

Thanks all for your comments.

[Chickenwing1313]

The legacy of apartheid? Get the fuck over it, it is now too long ago to bitch about.

[BOOMSLANGETJIE]

It is really sad sad that i live in a country where one person can kill another and get away with it. Yes some do live in poverty but instead of trying to build they destroy instead of working on a farm we kill the farmer instead of getting jobs we demand free water sanitation and houses instead if moving forward we are now moving bacward an the ruling party's new motto is deny deny deny ! Africa how much longer are we going to make ourselves suffer ?

[andy7666]

@craigspencer Actually, Whites never neclaced people but rather gave them jobs and security regardless of colour! My word, what devils we are!

[craigspencer]

Glad to see the lessons of appartheid have been learnt and not repeated.

[makheyi]

We denounce what south africans did

[Lebanese28]

Pitty on human kid, such fools..