Illegal immigrants and xenophobia: A place where a Birthday or Valentine can kill you

In poor communities where foreigners are most visible and locals are accused of xenophobia, the atmosphere is thick with suspicion, fear and loathing.

A resident of Olievenhoutbosch, which lies between northern Joburg and Pretoria, Thomas Malatji, said the issue they were facing in their community was that rich people were the ones advocating for illegal immigration because they were benefitting from people being in the country illegally.

Malatji said while activists continued to go to court to advocate for illegal immigrants, the people in their community would continue to die like flies.

“When you raise these issues, you are called xenophobic. We are being killed by illegal immigrants, we live here and we are talking from experience. People are dying because we fear dealing with the root cause of the problem,” he said.

“Here in Olievenhoutbosch, you are more likely to be killed by an immigrant than a South African when you are being robbed. They can even kill you for R50. Women and schoolchildren are being killed by them.

“Don’t tell us about stats because it doesn’t show the reality we live in. It’s easy for them to kill you, then go to Diepsloot and change their name. Where will you find a person called Birthday or Valentine?” asked Malatji.

“A person sits in Sandton then goes to court and talks about stats when families are losing their loved ones.

“If illegal immigrants are not a problem, let those staying behind high walls come and stay here and we will go behind the high walls – then let’s see them still advocate for them. No rich person can survive the conditions here.”

He said the organisations advocating for illegal immigrants were benefitting from them.

“Farmers hire illegal people so they can maximise profits, just like restaurants and people who hire domestic workers, gardeners and security people. So why do you think they would have a problem with them?

“Organisations like the EFF, who say ‘let’s open borders’, are part of the problem. They call for people to find creative ways to come here and the people who do so end up being a problem to us, not them,” added Malatji.

A foreign national who lives in Diepsloot and did not want to be named, acknowledged that foreigners in the area could be part of the problem, but also blamed some South Africans.

“They do rob people, I will not deny that, but we can’t say it’s only them, South Africans also commit crimes. The police are also complicit in these crimes caused by foreigners and South Africans.”

She said she lived in fear of being targeted and attacked because of her accent… and that she will be going back to her country at the end of this year.

“The only reason I’m still here is because my children have to go to school. I’m going back home because one day I’ll die here.”

Another resident from Cosmo City said she did not have a problem with legal immigrants, but the reality was that they were being terrorised by non-South Africans.

“Just stay here for one week then you’ll understand what we go through,” she said.