Beyond Xenophobia: Unravelling Violent Crimes Committed by Foreign Offenders in South Africa

Abstract

South Africa’s crime rate has propelled it into a realm comparable to war-torn nations. Amid the extensive discourse surrounding the interplay between foreign nationals and criminal activity, scholarly attention directed towards this complex relationship remains limited. While academia has extensively examined migration and immigration dynamics, South African research concerning foreign nationals has been notably overshadowed by the presence of xenophobia. Through a qualitative inquiry, in-depth and face-to-face interviews were held with 40 African and Asian offenders. The paper makes an empirical contribution to academic discourse by revealing the violent nature of crimes committed by foreign offenders in South Africa.