VZCZCPCI6056
RR RUEHC RUEHZO RUEHTN RUEHDU RUEHGV RUEAIIA
RUCNCAR RHEFDIA RHEHNSC
DE RUEHSA #1061/01 1401844
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191844Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4500
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 5613
RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 9829
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1251
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUCNCAR/WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 001061 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S, CA/OCS, DS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI ASEC PREF PHUM SF ZI
SUBJECT: POLICE UNABLE TO CONTROL XENOPHOBIC AND ETHNIC 
VIOLENCE 
 
REF: PRETORIA 644 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  Though South Africans have perpetrated 
sporadic, but infrequent xenophobic attacks throughout the 
country in recent years, the frequency and intensity of the 
attacks in the past several weeks against not only 
foreigners, but also those of different South African 
ethnicities, has escalated to dramatic proportions.  The most 
recent attacks over the past week started in the impoverished 
township of Alexandra, just outside the capitol, and spread 
to neighboring townships and informal settlements, as well as 
the Johannesburg central business district.  Thus far, 12 
people have been murdered, at least two of whom were South 
African.  While there have been no reports of Americans being 
targeted, these incidents of mob violence have sprung up 
quickly and proven difficult for local authorities to 
control.  The violence has many complex origins, and post 
continues to investigate, but at base, the current violent 
outbreaks against all foreigners, not just Zimbabweans, seem 
to be rooted in the SAG's inability to deliver services, 
especially housing; unrealized expectations post apartheid; 
unequal distribution of income and wealth; and high 
unemployment.  END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------------- 
VIOLENCE ENGULFS JOHANNESBURG 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The front page of every newspaper in South Africa on 
19 May showed horrific images of "alleged foreigners" being 
burnt alive (with bystanders laughing), being beaten by angry 
mobs, or fleeing their burning shacks during the weekend 
(19-20 May).  The violence, which started in Alexandra and 
Diepsloot townships last week, spread throughout Gauteng 
province this weekend to at least eight other townships and 
even the central business district of Johannesburg. 
According to press accounts, at least 12 people were murdered 
(though the toll is expected to rise) and hundreds more were 
beaten, stabbed, or shot.  Criminal elements are also taking 
advantage of the situation, with widespread looting taking 
place.  Police have arrested over 200 people on charges 
including murder, attempted murder, rape, public violence, 
and robbery. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The angry mobs appeared unapologetic for their 
actions.  Press reports note that mobs walked around 
townships or stopped vehicles looking for "foreigners" to 
attack.  Police struggled to control the violence and had to 
withdraw several times after being taunted and pelted with 
rocks and bricks.  At times, police were forced to respond by 
shooting rubber bullets into crowds in order to allow people 
to evacuate.  At least one of the mobsters, whose victim was 
dragged into a police car before he was beaten to death, told 
the police, "These people must go.  We do not want them 
here." 
 
------------------------ 
ETHNIC ANGLE TO VIOLENCE 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) As with prior attacks (reftel), the violence does 
not appear solely xenophobic in nature, with South Africans 
being targeted as well.  Numerous press reports note that in 
addition to Zimbabweans, Mozambicans, and Congolese, 
Tshivenda and Shangaan-speaking South Africans also were 
targeted.  One press report alleges that at least one mob was 
purging all non-isiZulu-speaking people from an area, saying 
"all we want here are Zulus."  The nationality and ethnicity 
of victims has not been established, but at least two were 
South African. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
VIOLENCE CENTERS AROUND LACK OF RESOURCES AND MISPERCEPTIONS 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) PolAsst, who grew up in Alexandra, visited the 
township on 19 May and discovered that anti-foreign sentiment 
is widespread.  Most people on the street told him that it's 
not that they do not want foreigners in South Africa, just 
not in Alexandra.  They feel Alexandra is already one of the 
most poorly resourced townships in South Africa, and 
foreigners "are only adding to their problems." 
 
¶6. (SBU)  As was the case in Atteridgeville last month 
(reftel), there is intense jealousy and rivalry over housing 
and unemployment.  There is also a misperception that 
foreigners commit most crimes in South Africa and are better 
treated by South African authorities.  PolAsst was told the 
violence in Alexandra was sparked by a "foreigner" who was 
selling items outside a South African-owned business.  The 
South African owner insisted he move, the foreigner refused, 
and violence broke out and spread.  Numerous press reports 
also cite a widespread rumor that the SAG was giving 
Zimbabweans government houses before South Africans.  It is 
widely known that some South Africans rent their government 
houses they no longer need to the highest bidder, whether 
they are South African or foreign, while other South Africans 
live in makeshift informal settlements for years on a waiting 
list for a government house. 
 
¶7. (SBU) PolAsst received excellent cooperation from township 
authorities during his 19 May visit with Alexandra Police 
Commissioner Pharisa, as well as Superintendent Terreblance 
and 17 other policemen who answered every question PolAsst 
asked.  (COMMENT: PolAsst's background growing up in 
Alexandra likely contributed to their willingness to answer 
questions. END COMMENT)  According to Terreblanche, the 
violence was sparked by residents not wanting foreigners to 
take their jobs, houses, and business opportunities away from 
them.  As an example, he mentioned that a South African day 
laborer asks for 100 rand (US $13) a day, while foreigners 
will often work for 30 rand (US $4) a day.  Terreblance said 
that residents have been complaining to the police for about 
nine months about foreigners, and when nothing happened, 
residents of Alexandra got fed up and took action themselves. 
 Both Terreblance and Pharisa also mentioned that the 
"tsotsi" element (South African thugs) has taken over and is 
behind most of the serious violence.  Member of Parliament 
Obed Bapela also has publicly said that the majority of 
violence is being committed by young criminals "who were 
between one and six years old in 1994; they are clueless in 
terms of who we are, where we come from, and where we are 
going as a country." 
 
--------------------------------- 
GOVERNMENT AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Government spokesperson Themba Maseko publicly said 
"there is some form of orchestration to these attacks; they 
are not just criminal."  Maseko also described the attacks as 
"crazy and inexplicable," blaming "somebody" who wants to 
take advantage of the declining mood in the country to 
destabilize South Africa.  The SAG also has called in the 
"intelligence services" to further investigate who is behind 
the attacks, implying foreign governments intent on making 
South Africa look bad are to blame.  Maseko also said the 
"lack of intelligence" on the issue has caused the police to 
be taken off-guard, deflecting criticism that police have 
been unable to contain the violence. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE LACKING, YET AGAIN 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Parliament held a special session on xenophobia on 
16 May, with the ANC condemning the violence, arguing that 
refugees must be integrated into society.  Both President 
Mbeki and ANC President Jacob Zuma have condemned the attacks 
in general.  Mbeki announced he has set up a "panel" to look 
into the attacks.  Zuma said he could not fathom how South 
Africans could attack foreigners when so many ANC members 
sought refuge in neighboring countries during apartheid. 
Interestingly, Director of the University of Witwatersrand 
Forced Migration Studies Program Loren Landau told PolOffs 
last month that he had tried in vain to reach out to Zuma's 
camp to get them to issue a statement against xenophobia. 
Zuma's camp declined, and Landau was told off the record that 
the reason was that many people close to Zuma are xenophobic. 
 Landau believes that Zuma's populism, his promises to 
improve people's living conditions, and his nationalistic 
tendencies (as opposed to Mbeki's pan Africanist stance) may 
spell an unwillingness to act against xenophobia in real 
terms. 
 
-------------------------------- 
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS ALREADY HERE 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Doctors Without Borders' group spokesperson, Eric 
Goemaere, said the number of foreigners left destitute as a 
result of last week's violence, which the Red Cross estimates 
at around 3,000, constitutes a humanitarian crisis.  Goemaere 
believes that efforts to argue otherwise just because the 
victims are not being housed in what the international 
community would define as a refugee camp are nothing more 
than semantics.  "I have treated bullet wounds, beaten 
people, rape victims, and the people are terrified," he said. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Xenophobia and ethnic tensions within South Africa 
have many complex origins and post continues to investigate 
current incidents and their causes.  Inter-ethnic tensions 
may have been swept under the rug, but have never died.  At 
base, the current violent outbreaks against all foreigners, 
not just Zimbabweans, seem to be rooted in the SAG's 
inability to deliver services, especially housing; unrealized 
expectations post-apartheid; unequal distribution of income 
and wealth; and high unemployment.  However, instead of 
blaming the SAG or the ANC for not delivering what was 
promised during the struggle, people are misdirecting their 
anger at foreigners by spreading mistruths about them.  While 
foreigners likely commit some crime, they do not commit the 
majority of crime in South Africa.  Anecdotal evidence 
indicates they are not better treated by police.  Refugee 
organizations repeatedly tell EmbOffs that foreigners are 
afraid of police because of how they have been treated in the 
past. 
 
BOST