Xenophobic violence displaces thousands in South Africa; victims recount attacks

In Durban, South Africa, a wave of xenophobic violence is forcing thousands of immigrants and refugees to flee their homes, leaving many, including families with infants, to seek shelter on sidewalks. Rebecca Varis described her new reality, sharing a sidewalk with her three-month-old daughter, Priscilla, who has spent two months sleeping on a dirty mattress. The family, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had been residents in South Africa for 18 years before their home, belongings, and livelihood were destroyed.

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Here we live now.

Varis recounted how groups of men targeted their neighborhood at night, demanding immigrants leave the country. The family, along with their two other children, barely escaped with their lives, losing everything from their home to kitchen utensils. "We haven't even got a spoon left," Varis lamented. Beyond material losses, they have lost their routine and means of survival; the older children can no longer attend school, and Varis's husband lost his barber shop after it was vandalized.

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They entered house by house shouting that we leave for our country.

These families are among approximately 450 people, predominantly refugees and asylum seekers from the DRC, who have been camping outside Durban's refugee reception center for weeks. They sleep on torn mattresses on the concrete, wrapped in damp blankets, while children play amidst piles of clothing. Men gather around makeshift board games, and women pass the time on their phones or in conversation, all waiting for a solution or simply for the attacks to cease. Some have been living in these conditions for over a month.

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We haven't even got a spoon left.

Testimonies gathered reveal a pattern of violence where South African men patrol immigrant neighborhoods, forcing entry into homes if no one answers. This is followed by threats, beatings, looting, and the seizure of homes and businesses. Foreigners, who constitute about 4% of South Africa's population, are being unfairly blamed for a more profound societal crisis. The article highlights the stark reality faced by these displaced individuals, who endure harsh conditions and constant fear, with reports of attacks occurring even in the presence of police.

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If not, her nose gets blocked; and even so, she got sick a few days ago.