Human Rights lawyers push govt to address xenophobic issues

Lawyers for Human Rights and the International Federation for Human Rights are calling on the government to reinforce their human rights-based legal framework in order to prevent and redress human rights violations against migrants.

Last week, in scenes reminiscent of 2008, xenophobic violence sparked off in Durban before spreading to other parts of the country.

Foreign nationals were attacked and their shops looted. So far, at least six people died, and thousands others were displaced.

Lawyers for Human Rights spokesperson, Patricia Erasmus says there are too many misconceptions about foreigners.

"It does not take into account the circumstances under which people document themselves in South Africa. So, apart from a very restrictive immigration legislative framework, which makes the opportunity to become very limited. There is also an increase in administration restriction; it is riddled with corruption. There are severe backlogs and a lot of inefficiencies in the determination procedure. So, unfortunately the linkages that are made between being undocumented and being so called ‘deserving of being a victim’ is absolutely nonsense."

Meanwhile, residents of Tembisa on the East-Rand are blaming the government for the xenophobic violence.

One resident says, "South Africa has powerful laws but foreign nationals can manipulate those laws. When we grew up we were told about Department of Trade and Industry where people registered their businesses and had a lot of laws. If you didn't comply with those laws the police will come and take all your stock. We feel that the government is too lenient. We want government to educate us about these business laws."