Foreigners at risk as South African World Cup dream fades

South Africa's Institute of Race Relations said widescale poverty could spark another wave of xenophobic violence if left unchecked, adding that little had changed since two years ago when 62 people died and 15 thousand others were displaced in hate attacks.

Soweto Photographer: András Osvát

It comes after a series of reports on the looting of foreign-owned shops in the Western Cape at the weekend. Other sporadic attacks are also being reported but have not yet been confirmed by police.

RFI’s Jean-Jacques Cornish reporting from South Africa said a consensus had arisen that government structures must join other progressive organisations if they want to stamp out xenophobia.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union said that besides throwing criminals behind bars, the government should act to resolve underlying social problems in communities.

The Institute of Race Relations is saying poverty, unemployment and income disparities remain as strong as they were two years ago when foreigners – predominantly from Africa - were blamed and attacked.

It says threats of attacks on foreigners– sometimes concealed as jokes or idle chatter - could provide a platform for a second outbreak of xenophobia violence.

President Jacob Zuma is however dismissing the concerns saying that foreigners need not be afraid.