Foreigners ‘live in constant fear’ in South Africa: HRW

JOHANNESBURG: Foreign nationals in South Africa suffer "routine" harassment, violence and discrimination by locals and government authorities, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday.

The group said xenophobia remained widespread in South Africa despite a government action plan rolled out in May 2019 to combat "intolerance".

Foreign workers are often victims of anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa -- the continent’s most industrialised economy -- where they compete against locals for jobs, particularly in low-skilled sectors. In a 64-page report, HRW said foreigners are scapegoated for economic insecurity in one of the world’s most unequal societies, where unemployment sits above 30 percent.