According to Sinthumule, South Africa is seen as the most xenophobic nation within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) by the rest of the SADC. This is due to the number of documented xenophobic attacks in South Africa, the powerhouse of the region.
Sinthumule added that there is a lack of understanding of the rights of foreign nationals in South Africa. “Immigrants have the same rights as South Africans which are enriched in the constitution, except for political rights such as the right to vote. These rights are claimed through documentation,” he said.
Sinthumule said that effective conflict resolution structures and the establishment of a strong leadership structure in Africa would mitigate xenophobia.
