A labour perspective on xenophobia in South africa: a case study of the Metals and Engineering industry in Ekurhuleni
Date
2013-06-07
Authors
Di Paola, Miriam
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This
report
looks
at
an
issue
that
is
hidden
from
the
public
eye
as
well
as
from
most
sociological
research:
xenophobia
in
an
industrial
workplace.
The
lack
of
research
on
xenophobia
in
the
workplace
is
a
striking
phenomenon
that
could
be
explained
by
an
assumption
that
it
does
not
affect
progressive
trade
unions
and
organized
workers.
This
report
explores
whether
and
how
new
forms
of
xenophobia
in
South
Africa
are
related
to
the
complex
interaction
between
frustrated
economic
expectations,
the
reproduction
of
an
apartheid
practice
that
stigmatizes
the
other
(albeit
along
new
lines),
and
a
strong
nationalistic
discourse.
Economic
frustration,
joblessness
and
competition
over
scarce
resources
(also
in
terms
of
government
social
provision)
are
elements
often
used
to
characterize
a
context
that
can
be
conducive
to
the
rise
of
anti-‐migrant
sentiments
and
attitudes.
In
fact,
many
South
African
workers
consider
foreign
co-‐workers
to
be
responsible
for
‘driving
down
wages
and
conditions’;
a
belief
supported
by
many
managers’
claims
that
foreigners
work
‘harder
for
less’.
However,
little
research
has
been
conducted
on
xenophobia
in
workplaces.
One
possible
explanation
for
this
may
be
related
to
the
pervasiveness
of
a
view
that
assumes
that
workers
are
less
inclined
toward
xenophobia
than
unemployed
people.
Such
a
view
is
rooted
in
neoclassical
economics
and
considers
that
workers
are
not
inclined
toward
xenophobic
sentiments
because
of
their
‘privileged’
employment
status.
This
report
interrogates
these
assumptions
by
looking
into
actual
relationships
between
South
African
and
foreign
workers
in
the
abode
of
production
and
beyond,
and
at
the
role
played
by
trade
unions
in
this
regard.
The
research
question
of
this
research
report
is
therefore
twofold:
• How
do
workers
of
different
nationalities
relate
to
each
other
in
the
workplace,
and
beyond?
• How
does
NUMSA
position
itself
in
the
interaction
between
workers
of
different
nationalities?
The
research
carried
out
at
the
Marco
Polo
bus
factory
in
Ekurhuleni
has
shown
that
xenophobic
sentiments
and
practices
are
indeed
present
in
formal
workplaces.
It
thus
challenges
the
assumption
underlining
the
prevalent
neglect
of
workplaces
among
studies
on
xenophobia
in
South
Africa,
namely
that
xenophobia
will
be
found
among
unemployed
people
or
informal
workers
but
not
in
formal
workplaces.
NUMSA
officials
who
emphasize
the
difficulty
in
tackling
xenophobia
among
members
confirmed
the
finding.
The
difficulty
is
explained
by
the
fact
that
members
are
embedded
in
a
climate
characterized
by
suspicion
toward
foreigners;
such
suspicion
is
amplified
by
the
national
discourse
and
reinforced
in
communities.
Examples
of
solidarity
among
workers
of
different
nationalities
have
nevertheless
also
been
documented,
with
individual
shopstewards
playing
an
active
role
in
trying
to
bridge
the
national
divide.
However,
it
emerges
that
the
union
has
not
as
yet
developed
a
coherent
strategy
to
address
xenophobia
in
the
workplace. There
is
a
gap
between
the
leadership’s
understanding
of
xenophobia,
which
is
grounded
in
class
analysis
and
based
on
principles
of
class
solidarity
and
worker
unity,
and
the
perceptions
of
workers
on
the
ground.
The
latter
tend
to
see
foreign
nationals
as
a
threat;
in
this
regard
their
views
conform
to
the
widespread
xenophobic
climate
rather
then
to
the
official
union
stance.
This
disjuncture
between
the
union’s
national
and
local
levels
results
in
a
failure
to
address
xenophobia
in
workplaces
and
in
communities.
Otherwise
the
management
of
anti-‐migrant
sentiments
in
the
workplace
is
basically
left
to
those
individual
shopstewards
who
choose
to
engage
the
workers
about
such
biases.
These
sentiments
are
also
de
facto
managed
by
employers.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, Labour Policies and Globalization, 2012