South Africa will struggle to tame xenophobic violence

Significance

Some twelve people have now been killed in related unrest over the past week, principally in Gauteng province, with over 400 individuals arrested. Foreign-born Africans and their small businesses are the principal targets of looting and assaults. The violence coincided with South Africa's hosting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa in Cape Town, where in July the army was deployed to control gang violence in townships bordering the city.

Impacts

• The violence overshadowed news of better-than-expected growth in the second quarter of this year.
• The Gauteng violence and army deployment in Cape Town fosters an image of lawlessness contrary to Ramaphosa's 'open for business' drive.
• The unrest will further diminish South Africa's already depleted soft diplomatic power and ability to achieve key objectives.