It can be tough to be a migrant – but even worse should one be persecuted by the local population.
By moving to a new place economic migrants – and displaced persons – leave behind well-known surroundings, and often other family members too. They may not speak the language at their new location, might have to accept a job that does not fit their educational level or skill set, and can be without legal documents, making them vulnerable to exploitation. Generally they look past these negative factors, seeking a better life and seeing a more positive future. With time, difficulties can be overcome.
South Africa has traditionally served as a receptor country for migrants and those displaced from neighboring countries. This includes thousands of Zimbabweans, who fled deteriorating conditions in their country, which suffered under an absurdly high hyperinflation rate (printing a 100 trillion dollar note as prices doubled every day), and the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe (who grudgingly accepted a power-sharing agreement with Morgan Tsvangirai, that began in February 2009, and remains unsteady).
In May 2008, however, widespread xenophobia and violence led to the deaths of more than 62 people in South Africa. Immigrants faced blame, whether based on claims that they took jobs away from locals, or presented a threat to public safety.
A New York Times article describes more recent attacks on Zimbabwean immigrants after the death of a local man. Like with many events, there are two sides to the story. Zimbabweans in South Africa do not deserve the blame for all negative economic conditions. Likewise, not all South Africans are intolerant of outsiders – the article recounts how a local teenager guided a Zimbabwean friend to her home, where he received shelter and protection.