Journalist says that Mozambicans live under permanent threat of xenophobia in South Africa

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Journalist says that Mozambicans live under permanent threat of xenophobia in South Africa

4:17 CAT | 13 Jul 2018

Photo: Notícias

The book is entitled “Xenophobia in South Africa, Mozambicans as emblematic victims of the phenomenon”. Across 152 pages, it addresses the motivations of the wave of violence against foreigners in that country, in particular the attack on Mozambicans.

Speaking to Lusa, at the launch of the book in Maputo yesterday, Hélio Filimone considered that Mozambicans live under the spectre of xenophobia in South Africa, because they are an “easy scapegoat”.

“Mozambicans are the largest community of African foreigners in South Africa, they accept all kinds of jobs and have a greater capacity for survival with few resources,” explained the journalist, of ‘Notícias’, Mozambique’s main daily newspaper.

He says that factors contributing to a generalised prejudice against the community are the facts that some Mozambicans thrive in the midst of poor communities in South Africa, some have families with South African partners and some engage in crime.

Hélio Filimone pointed out that the South African authorities have not done enough for their citizens to stop viewing African foreigners as the cause of poverty, unemployment and deep inequalities in South Africa.

“I think they is a lack of a political enlightenment narrative about the contribution that the other African countries made towards the liberation of the black majority from apartheid. They is also a lack of commitment for the education for peaceful coexistence,” said Hélio Filimone.

During the launch Pakhamile Hlubi a South African journalist who prefaced the book said, that outbreaks of violence against foreigners reflects a legacy of violence left by the apartheid system of racial segregation.

“The end of apartheid has brought the promise of freedom for the black South African majority, but the discriminatory and oppressive economic system continues and social asymmetries have intensified,” said Pakhamile Hlubi.

The work that was launched yesterday, is the seventh for journalist Hélio Filimon, and the third dealing with themes that the author covered in professional activity.

Source: Lusa